By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Justin Gimelstob announced he will step down from his post on the ATP board of directors.
Photo credit: Justin Gimelstob Facebook
Justin Gimelstob's 11-year run on the ATP board of directors is done.
The 42-year-old Gimelstob, who pleaded no contest to assault last week, announced in a Facebook post he will step down from his post immediately and not run for re-election in a May 14th election in Rome.
"Giving up or conceding is not in my DNA, but it has become clear that I need to take a step back—for the good of the players, the game and for myself," Gimelstob wrote in a Facebook post. "Solely for that reason, I now more than ever appreciate that people in elected positions of influence must be held to the highest standard of conduct."
Gimelstob told the New York Times' Christopher Clarey he has become "too much of a distraction and a liability" to remain in his post. Read the New York Times report here.
"I’m stepping down because my job is to work on the sport’s behalf and the players’ behalf and in my situation, I’ve become too much of a distraction and a liability,” Gimelstob told Clarey in a telephone interview. “I take responsibility for that, and I take responsibility for the mistakes I made Halloween night.”
Pressure has been mounting on Gimelstob to resign since he was sentenced to three years probation after pleading no contest to assault.
Yesterday, three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka called for the ATP to act and for his fellow players to speak out on Gimelstob and end a "shameful period in our great sport."
The former US Open champion's comments came after current and former players including Martina Navratilova, Gimelstob's Tennis Channel colleague, Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt, Amelie Mauresmo and Darren Cahill said the former Grand Slam mixed doubles champion could not retain a position of authority with the ATP.
The New Jersey native, who has taken a leave of absence from his role as Tennis Channel lead analyst, faced up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for the Halloween attack on venture capitalist Randall Kaplan, whose wife, Madison, charges stress from assault caused her to have a miscarriage.
The Kaplans are friends with Gimelstob's ex-wife, Cary Sinnott. Gimelstob and Sinnott are engaged in a custody battle over their 5-year-old-son, Brandon.
Disturbing details of the assault were revealed during statements Kaplan and his wife, Madison, read to the court.
Madison Kaplan claims the trauma from Gimelstob's attack caused her to have a miscarriage and charged the former Grand Slam champion "did kill a tiny innocent little baby girl" according to a Telegraph report by Josh Boswell.
“Thankfully my husband survived, but our unborn child did not,” Madison Kaplan said in her statement published by The Telegraph. “My doctors said everything had looked perfect with the pregnancy before the attack. The only reason they could see causing the miscarriage was the stress from the attack. Justin might not have gotten his wish in killing Randy, but he did kill a tiny innocent little baby girl.”
In a bizarre story, Gimelstob, reportedly dressed as a pilot from the film Top Gun, allegedly snuck up behind Kaplan, who was walking with his wife and and two-year-old daughter in Los Angeles at about 6:30 on Halloween night. Gimelstob attacked Kaplan from behind striking him 50 times and threatening to "f--king kill" him, Kaplan told police.
Gimelstob claims the assault on his former friend was provoked by derogatory comments Kaplan made about his beloved father, Barry Gimelstob, who passed away on October 26th, five days before the attack. Kaplan denies it. A civil suit could follow.
"I have always taken responsibility for my role in the events that evening and will continue to do so,” Gimelstob said in a Facebook post. “While I can, have, and will continue to dispute the way that evening has been depicted, the material matter is that my judgment that evening compromised the sport and the people that entrusted me with the authority to represent them.
"I am deeply saddened and remorseful that my actions have caused the sport, players, my colleagues, friends and family such a distraction. Actions have consequences and me stepping away from a role I cherished is one of them that I accept."
The former UCLA all American agreed to plead no contest to a felony battery charge, which the judge reduced to a misdemeanor. Under plea terms, Gimelstob will also serve 60 days of community service and complete 52 weeks of anger management classes.
Gimelstob said one of his final acts as a board member will be a meeting with ATP player council president Novak Djokovic where he plans to thank the world No. 1 for his support and apologize.
Djokovic, John Isner, whom Gimelstob formerly coached, Sam Querrey and Vasek Pospisil have been Gimelstob allies on the player council and have praised his work as a board member fighting for players' rights.
“I wanted to look Novak in the eye, and the two most important things I wanted to say were first thank you and second to apologize,” Gimelstob told the New York Times.
ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert, former Top 10 player Tim Mayotte and Dani Vallverdu, Grigor Dimitrov's coach, are reported to be among the candidates interested in running for Gimelstob's vacant board spot in the May 14th ATP election in Rome.