Tennis: Bloody attack makes Youzhny a YouTube star (+video)

Mikhail Youzhny smashed himself in the head three times with a racquet. Photo / Reuters

An attack with a racquet on himself left Russia's Mikhail Youzhny bloodied but made him a YouTube star, AP reported today.

After hitting a backhand into the net against Spain's Nicolas Almagro in the third round of the Sony Ericsson Open on Tuesday, Youzhny whacked himself in the head three times with his racquet strings.

The blows sent a stream of blood running down his face and play was stopped while Youzhny was patched up.

By today, video of the tantrum had drawn more than a half million hits on YouTube.

The 11th-ranked Youzhny went on to win in a third-set tiebreaker, then lost in the next round.

- NZ HERALD STAFF