No. 9 Ranked Marion Bartoli Tosses Parents From Wimbledon Match

Young athletes often look to their parents for support and motivation when things arn't going well. Tennis player Marion Bartoli missed that memo.

Bartoli, the No. 9 player in the world, was competing in the third round of Wimbledon on Saturday against Flavia Pennetta. In the final set, Bartoli fell behind 3-4 and became increasingly frustrated. Instead of throwing a McEnroe-like fit, Bartoli directed her anger towards her parents. Bartoli asked that both her parents leave the court before she finished the match.

"I don't remember exactly what I said but I think it was really clear," Bartoli said, "I just had to let go my frustrations and express myself in some way. I could have done something else stupid, but whatever.

"I was so tired and exhausted that really I had to express my emotions somehow. I saw them right after the match, my parents, and they completely understood."

Perhaps her parents were so understanding because Bartoli managed to come back and win 5-7 6-4 9-7, setting up a fourth-round matchup with Serena Williams. Bartoli lost the 2007 Wimbledon title to Venus Williams.

Bartoli has a great relationship with her father, Walter, who left his job as a doctor to coach his daughter. The two were involved in a controversey in the previous round when Bartoli recieved illegal coaching during her match.