The tennis star is the latest to cause a storm but follows a long line of sports stars to lose their heads on the big stage

TélamEric Cantona

Eric Cantona is a man who plays by his own rules. 

The enigmatic Frenchman was the focus of conversation throughout his time in English football but never more than when he launched a flying kick at a Crystal Palace supporter during Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park in 1995 in retaliation to something said from the crowd.

Cantona was subsequently suspended by United until the end of the season and fined £20,000 ($26,000). Then, following a disciplinary hearing, the FA banned the forward for nine months and fine him a further £10,000 ($13,000).

AdvertisementJohn McEnroe

"You cannot be serious!"

It's a phrase which continues to be used today, unwittingly coined by a young John McEnroe back in 1981.

McEnroe was so enraged at Wimbledon umpire Edward James for refusing to rule his serve as a legal shot, that he hurled a moutful of abuse at the official with the aforementioned sentence later becoming the title of his biography.

It did little to distract McEnroe, however, as he went on to win his first Wimbledon trophy.

Getty ImagesKieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer

Disagreements in training are a usual occurrence. It's not uncommon for players to confront each other during practice games and for their manager to quickly write it off as a display of determination or something equally as dismissive to the media. 

However, what hadn't been seen before was two team-mates coming to blows in front of tens of thousands of supporters during a Premier League game.

That's exactly what happened when Kieron Dyer decided not to pass to Lee Bowyer during Newcastle's meeting with Aston Villa in 2005, with the latter throwing the first punch in the extraordinary scrap which followed.

Once their three minutes of madness had ended, both players were sent off. Bowyer was fined £30,000 ($39,000) and handed a six-game ban, while Newcastle fined him six weeks' wages. He was fined £600 ($780) and ordered to pay £1000 ($1300) costs by Northumbria Police with offences under section four of the Public Order Act, pleading guilty to using threatening behaviour.

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy's run at the 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship was a succesful one, but it didn't go quite as straightforwardly as he'd have liked.

The Northern Irishman skewed his effort on his approach shot to the par-five eighth hole and threw a tantrum soon after, much to the amusement of those watching.

When his strike ended up in the drink, the three-iron he used to take the shot quickly followed as McIlroy launched the club into the water.