Sorry, not sorry: Net cords & insincere apologies in tennis

It might just be the most insincere gesture in sports: A tennis player apologizes by raising a hand after a ball clips the net tape and makes it over, accidentally winning — or eventually helping to win — a point.

Happens all the time, on courts all around the world, from public parks to the pros, all the way up to Grand Slam tournaments such as the Australian Open, where Dominic Thiem signaled that he was sorry after at least five such net cords, as they're often called, during his quarterfinal upset of Rafael Nadal on Wednesday.

Yet everyone, at every level, knows full well there is no real remorse, no matter what the body language says.

In this Jan. 22, 2020 photo, Japan's Naomi Osaka gestures to her opponent China's Saisai Zheng after her shot hit the net during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. It might just be the most insincere gesture in sports: A tennis player signals an apology after a ball clips the net tape and trickles over, producing a winner, an obviously accidental winner, to end a point. (AP PhotoAndy Brownbill)

“Typical ‘Sorry, not sorry,’” two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova said with a laugh after winning a match last week.

“I will put it to you this way: When you go to a store in the United States, and they ask you, ‘How are you?’ — do they care how you are? But you're still polite and you answer,” the Russian said. “This is the same thing: You're polite and you put your hand up.”

Wim Fisette, 2019 Australian Open winner Naomi Osaka's new coach, offered another analogy for these apologies.

In this Jan. 21, 2020, photo, Russia's Daniil Medvedev signals to his opponent Frances Tiafoe of the U.S. after his ball hit the net during their first round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. It might just be the most insincere gesture in sports: A tennis player signals an apology after a ball clips the net tape and trickles over, producing a winner, an obviously accidental winner, to end a point. (AP PhotoLee Jin-man)

“I don't think it's necessary. But is it necessary to say ‘Bless you’ if someone sneezes? It's more or less the same,” said Fisette, who also has worked with Kim Clijsters and Angelique Kerber, among others. “If you sneeze, and the person next to you doesn't say, ‘Bless you,’ it's kind of weird, right?”

Still, this type of behavior is generally not seen in other, supposedly less-genteel sports.

Elsewhere, it seems, a bit of luck is just a bit of luck.

In this Jan. 21, 2020, photo, Madison Keyes of the U.S. reacts after her shot hit the net during her first round singles match against Russia's Daria Kasatkina at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. It might just be the most insincere gesture in sports: A tennis player signals an apology after a ball clips the net tape and trickles over, producing a winner, an obviously accidental winner, to end a point. (AP PhotoAndy Wong)

"In baseball, if you shank one over the third baseman's head and it drops in for a hit, you're not putting your hand up. Or in basketball, if it bounces off the rim and it goes in, you don't apologize," said Mike Bryan, who has teamed with his twin, Bob, to win a record 16 Grand Slam titles in men's doubles. “Besides, what are you going to do, apologize to the whole other team?”

Just as tennis is filled with different playing styles — baseline bashers or purveyors of varying speeds and spins, big servers or masters of the return, etc. — it allows for varying ways to express regrets.

Or pretend to, anyway.

In this Jan. 20, 2020, photo, China's Zhang Shuai reacts after the ball hits the net during her first round singles match against United States' Sloane Stephens at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. It might just be the most insincere gesture in sports: A tennis player signals an apology after a ball clips the net tape and trickles over, producing a winner, an obviously accidental winner, to end a point. (AP PhotoDita Alangkara)

The most common:

— The double-hand, palm-up-plus-racket-up, which 2019 U.S. Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev did after winning a game in the Australian Open's first round against Frances Tiafoe, who rolled his eyes and dropped his racket to demonstrate the degree of disbelief at his own misfortune.

— The simple racket raise, which 2019 champion Novak Djokovic deployed in this year's first-round victory over Jan-Lennard Struff.

— The single-hand wave, which Sofia Kenin did in the first set of her fourth-round win over 15-year-old Coco Gauff, before adding a twist: Kenin lowered that hand, balled it into a fist and furtively shook it to celebrate.

Gotta, um, hand it to the 21-year-old American for serving up what felt in the moment like some on-court honesty.

Asked earlier in the tournament how she would react if an opponent didn't show any trace of guilt after a net cord, Kenin said: “I wouldn't like it, but it wouldn't really upset me. It doesn't make that big of a difference.”

Sometimes, there is just no motion of contrition whatsoever.

At the 2018 Miami Open, for example, Medvedev got mad at Stefanos Tsitsipas for what he said were a couple of breaches of tennis etiquette, including: “You hit (a) let and you don't say sorry. You think you are a good kid?”

And at Wimbledon in 2007 — two years before their far more famous encounter at the French Open — Nadal criticized Robin Soderling for fist-pumping instead of feigning penitence over a favorable net cord.

Soderling's retort at the time: "Why should I say I’m sorry when it’s the happiest moment of my life?”

Steve Johnson, who lost to Roger Federer last week, said he generally only engages in the perfunctory pantomiming when he is playing against a friend, such as fellow Americans John Isner, Sam Querrey or Dennis Kudla.

"Or occasionally Roger," Johnson added. “But otherwise, hey, I hit a let-cord winner? So be it. Bummer. Lucky for me. And it's going to come back the other way. So I don't need to apologize. Nobody actually means it. Do whatever you want: Say it; don't say it. If somebody apologizes to me, it's not like they're going to play it over.”

So why does (nearly) everyone do it?

"I was taught as a kid that you have to say sorry," two-time major champion Simona Halep said. “I've thought about this, and I don't really think it's fair you have to say sorry; you're happy you won the point. But I think it's automatic now.”

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CHICAGO (AP) — While Connor Bedard is out, the Chicago Blackhawks are hoping to replace his production with a collective approach.

It's going to be quite the challenge.

“It's going to be on everybody to step up and do their part,” center Jason Dickinson said.

That's the reality for Chicago with Bedard sidelined for at least two weeks because of an upper-body injury, dealing a major blow to his chances of making Team Canada for the Winter Olympics.

Bedard has turned into one of the NHL's top players in his third season since he was drafted No. 1 in 2023. The 20-year-old center has a team-high 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games.

The Blackhawks open a three-game trip on Tuesday night at Toronto. They are 3-8-2 in their last 13 games.

“Obviously it sucks, but just need guys to step up and be able to make those plays that he'd make on a night in, night out basis,” center Frank Nazar said.

Bedard got hurt on a draw with 0.8 seconds left in Friday night’s 3-2 loss at St. Louis. He grasped at his right shoulder and immediately headed to the locker room, accompanied by a trainer.

He was placed on injured reserve on Monday.

“We'll get through the new year and then kind of reevaluate and see where he's at,” coach Jeff Blashill said after practice.

Blashill declined to get into any specifics with Bedard's injury, sticking to his upper-body designation. He said Bedard isn't going to have an operation or procedure right now, but he left open that possibility for down the road.

“Let’s start with the rehab and see where it goes and I’ll have a better update after that,” Blashill said.

Bedard was believed to be a long shot for Canada's roster for the Milan Cortina Olympics coming into the season. But he made a strong case with his fast start, and the injury robs him of an opportunity for a closing argument.

Canada is expected to announce its loaded roster before Bedard plays again for Chicago.

When it comes to the Blackhawks, Bedard's absence puts more pressure on Nazar, Tyler Bertuzzi and Ryan Donato to make the most of their offensive opportunities. Nick Lardis, who made his NHL debut in Saturday night's 4-0 loss to Detroit, also could help out.

Captain Nick Foligno also is nearing a return from his left hand injury. Blashill said Foligno could play on the team’s road trip.

“Nobody’s going to replace Connor on their own,” Blashill said. “Collectively, as a group, one, I think we needed to do this anyway, we need to be better defensively. ... We're going to have to score those net-front-type goals, the tip-type goals. We’re not going to score from distance the way Connor can score from distance at a regular rate, so we're going to have to make sure we’re scoring dirtier.”

Also Monday, defenseman Ethan Del Mastro and goaltender Laurent Brossoit were recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League.

Brossoit had been in the minors on a conditioning assignment. Blashill said Brossoit will be placed on waivers and will go back to Rockford if he clears.

Del Mastro, 22, has two goals and four assists in 27 career games with Chicago.

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Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) passes the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)