The spit hit the fan at the U.S. Open yesterday as threats and saliva flew through the Flushing Meadows’ air. Jersey Justin Gimelstob, after learning Czech Republic native Michal Tabara spit at him after his five-set first-round victory, vowed to “beat his ass” in the locker room.
In showing the men could engage in as vicious a cat-fight as the women, Tabara spit at Gimelstob while the young Morristown, N.J., native celebrated his first-round triumph, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6, 6-2 on the Grandstand Court. Tabara accused Gimelstob of faking two injury timeouts because he was tired.
As Gimelstob pumped his fists by the net after putting away a forehand volley on match point, Tabara approached for the traditional handshake. At the service line, Tabara unleashed a load of his saliva. Gimbelstob was too busy celebrating and looking at the crowd to notice. “I didn’t see it or I would have been on the other side of the net,” said Gimelstob, the 24-year-old former American phenom who had fallen to No. 174 because of a herniated disk.
The referees office is investigating, and Tabara could be fined. Tabara also was irritated by Gimelstob’s on-court theatrics and shouted at the American in Czech. “He can go to Hollywood and he can make some movie, that’s what I said,” said Tabara.
When Gimelstob found out from reporters he had been spit at, he threatened bodily harm. “He better not be in the locker room when I get back,” Gimelstob said. “Unless he grows about another foot by the time I get back in the locker room, he’s in trouble. If he’s in the locker room now, you guys want some real fireworks, stick around for about an hour.”
A handful of reporters followed Gimbelstob back to the locker room, but he never crossed paths with Tabara. Gimbelstob headed for the treatment room while Tabara sat by his cubicle. Later, in the upstairs cafeteria, Gimelstob’s father, Barry, walked by Tabara but didn’t say anything.
“It can’t get less professional than that,” Gimelstob said. “If he thinks spitting at me is appropriate, I think we just grew up in a little different culture. Maybe the Czechs need to have a little bit more personality out there.”
Asked in the cafeteria about Gimelstob’s threats, Tabara said “I said what I said. I did it. I have nothing to say to him. If he’s mad, he’s mad.”
Gimelstob walked off the interview podium to show a group of reporters two toes on his left foot that were black from jamming them in the match. “That’s not the color they’re supposed to be,” said Gimelstob. “Those were as legitimate times outs as you can have. I was rolling him in the first two sets. Did he think there was a reason I couldn’t run as well? If that wasn’t a problem, I probably would have been able to beat him in three straight.”
Gimelstob won the first two sets before dropping the next two. “He wasn’t fit, nothing else,” No. 50 Tabara said. “He just take time for the fifth set. He was fit, so he played unbelievable fifth set.”
Responded Gimelstob, “If he wants to go run a couple miles, I’ll bet my ass that I beat him in it.”
Once viewed as the next great American, Gimelstob needed to advance through qualifiers to get to the Open draw. He almost underwent back surgery in March. “I was so bad, I couldn’t get the balls out of the can,” said Gimelstob, who credited yoga with restoring his health. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to have some Czech guy spit at me.”
Ironically, Gimelstob may work on a Hollywood production. His friend Dustin Hoffman called him to be a consultant on a movie he’s doing about a tennis prodigy. “Maybe Tabara is right, I’ll cast him as the sore loser,” Gimbelstob cracked.