Tennis Hooligans Ruining the Sport

There is no truth to the rumor that Senator-turned-peacemaker George Mitchell chose President Obama's plea to take a stab at solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Middle East over men's tennis president Adam Helfant's plea to soothe the Bosnian-Serbian conflict that now engulfs the world of tennis.

But maybe Helfant should've inquired.

We've become accustomed to European soccer attracting hooligans and, even worse, racist and fascist thugs. But what happened Friday at the Austrailian Open after Novak Djokovic of Serbia beat Bosnian-born American Amer Delic was new, what with those same sickening miscreants unleashing their hate at a tennis venue.

Helfant, who is only a few weeks newer to his job than Obama, shouldn't waited to stamp out this unwanted development. Friday was the second such incident in Melbourne, Austrailia. Hopefully Helfant's years as an NHL executive won't color his action.

The best thing soccer has done over the years to curb this despicableness is to ban these people from its events. Tennis needs to do the same with all the athletes from the Balkans in its ranks who undoubtedly will attract their violent countrymen.