David Nalbandian has once again made headlines for wrong reasons. A former girlfriend has levied charges of harassment against him after he allegedly put spy cameras in her house. The former Argentine player was believed to be leading a peaceful retirement life but this incident is set to tarnish his image again, like it did during his tennis days.
Nalbandian was considered one of the most talented players on the ATP Tour but could never translate it to Grand Slam success. His 2005 ATP Finals triumph remains his biggest title win. But his career was marred by controversial incidents, making him perhaps one of the ‘Bad Boys of Tennis’ ever.
1. David Nalbandian accused of spying
Nalbandian’s life has remained chaotic after bidding tennis goodbye. He entered a relationship with model Araceli Torrado shortly after separating from his partner of over 20 years.
While the relationship ended soon, Nalbandian has been accused by Torrado of harassment for apparently spying on her. The model’s brother discovered a hidden camera behind the vent of her house. The retired player and his girlfriend had moved in together but the latter continued staying there after they split.
The case against Nalbandian was initially dismissed due to lack of evidence. However, a report claimed he confessed to installing the camera but maintained he never used it. The case has now been reopened as Torrado and her lawyers have given more material as solid evidence, with the aim of heavily suing Nalbandian (via Sportskeeda).
2. When Nalbandian paid a record fine for injuring an official
In the final of the 2012 Queen’s Club Championships, Nalbandian was headed for another title win before he lost his cool and threw away a golden opportunity. To add insult to injury, he was hit with one of the biggest fines in tennis.
After losing a point that allowed Marin Cilic to pull ahead 4-3 in the second set, Nalbandian lost his temper. He kicked an advertisement board in front of a line judge in a fit of rage, smashing it to bits. This hit the judge and caused him to bleed from his left shin. Nalbandian was instantly disqualified, which meant Cilic won the match and the title.
3. Nalbandian questioned the referee and threw water at an official
After a fiery five-set match against John Isner in the 2012 Australian Open second round, Nalbandian let his frustration spill over off the court. He allegedly threw water at an ATP assistant during a post-match dope test.
During the match, Nalbandian had a run-in the the chair umpire and accused him of not being good enough to officiate Grand Slams. A serve from Isner was called out by the linesman but the umpire overruled it and declared it an ace. Nalbandian challenged it only after inspecting the landing spot, but the umpire deemed it too late.
The Argentine had a long argument with the official before lashing out post-match after his loss. He was also fined for throwing water but denied it, saying he was just washing his hands (via Reuters).
4. David Nalbandian stormed off after arguing with his teammate
David Nalbandian copped yet another fine after the 2008 Davis Cup Finals. He skipped the mandatory post-match press conference after his doubles loss. He reportedly had a tiff with Agustin Calleri, his doubles partner, and stormed out of the stadium. However, he denied this story (BBC).
He was also slammed for offensive comments in the press against Spain and their absent star, Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard missed the tie even as the Iberian nation won 3-1. Nalbandian won the opening fixture, Argentina’s only win, before Spain bounced back.
