Tennis great Todd Woodbridge reveals ‘unacceptable’ heart attack slur

Tennis great Todd Woodbridge has revealed an “unacceptable” message he received while commentating the Australian Open.

Tennis Australia Ambassador Todd Woodbridge at home in Melbourne with his wife Natasha. Picture: Ian Currie

Tennis great Todd Woodbridge has revealed he was subjected to a cruel slur about his recent heart attack while he was commentating the Australian Open.

The 16-time grand slam doubles champion took to Twitter on Wednesday evening to share the “unacceptable” direct message he received on his Instagram account.

“Matt didn’t like my commentary alongside Jim Courier but this sort of behaviour is unacceptable and needs to be called out,” Woodbridge wrote.

The screenshotted message reads: “Just (an) old has been trying to stay in the limelight. Shame (the) heart attack didn’t end you”.

Watch Tennis Live with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. Live Coverage of ATP + WTA Tour Tournaments including Every Finals Match. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Matt didn’t like my commentary alongside Jim Courier but this sort of behaviour is unacceptable and needs to be called out. pic.twitter.com/dc4EgmKCso

— Todd Woodbridge (@toddwoodbridge) January 18, 2023

Woodbridge’s Twitter post was flooded with messages of support for the popular commentator as well as condemnation for the disgraceful attack.

“That’s disgusting mate,” wrote Aussie tennis star Luke Saville.

“Tough guys everywhere these days,” wrote sports journalist Vince Rugari.

“What a pathetic excuse for a human.”

The troll’s abuse was in a relation to a heart attack Woodbridge suffered late in 2022, while working out in his home gym.

The 51-year-old said he was “shocked” when he experienced chest pains and other symptoms he now knows to have been a heart attack.

Todd Woodbridge is commentating the Australian Open for Nine. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Todd Woodbridge and Jelena Dokic at the Australian Open 2023 launch. Pic: Tennis Australia

He said the episode came out of nowhere as he was exercising as part of his daily routine.

The doubles great has been steadfast with his health after retiring in 2005.

It’s why the episode has prompted him to speak about his heart scare publicly.

Woodbridge posted on Twitter at the time to reveal family genetics played a significant part in triggering the attack.

“My family genetics dictated that I would have cholesterol issues and that was a major cause of my episode,” he posted.

Woodbridge also told 3AW in an interview at the time that he “didn’t think it was going to happen to me”.

“My dad carried a pretty heavy cholesterol issue, I have that, and as we spoke about in What Makes You Tick, I lost both of my brothers in their 50s,” he said.

Tennis Australia Ambassador Todd Woodbridge at home in Melbourne with his wife Natasha. Picture: Ian Currie

Todd Woodbridge has kept fit in retirement. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Woodbridge explained how the attack happened when interviewed by The Herald Sun.

“It was last Thursday, I tried to keep my routine having travelled to the US Open and London and I was just exercising and had chest pains and every symptom when you look up google — full sweats and I felt awful,” he said.

“I had a little heart episode that goes down as a mild heart attack which is a bit of a shock to me.

“And you’re personally still coming to terms with somebody like myself who I consider to lead a pretty good fit healthy lifestyle — I keep active, I eat well, I do all the right things, I enjoy doing that. It’s been a wake up call to me to make sure I look after myself. If it can happen to me it shows that it can happen to anybody.”

The attack has prompted him to commit to regular tests with his doctor — and is advising Australian men to do the same.

Woodbridge is currently commentating the Australian Open for Nine.