'World's worst' tennis player loses libel action
Discussion
Go Telegraph!- a large number of media outlets inc bbc/reuters etc all apologised/settled...wusses 
Tennis pro Robert Dee today lost his libel action over a claim that he was the "world's worst".
Mr Dee, 23, who comes from Bexley, Kent, but is based in La Manga, Spain, had brought proceedings in London's High Court over an April 2008 story in the Daily Telegraph.
He said it was offensive and could blight his potential future career as a tennis coach.
The newspaper fought the case on the basis that the article, 'World's worst tennis pro wins at last', was not arguably defamatory when read together with another item in the same edition, and that Mr Dee had no real prospect of rebutting the defences of justification and fair comment.
Granting Telegraph Media Group Ltd summary judgment, Mrs Justice Sharp said that the claim of justification must succeed.
"The facts which are either admitted, not in dispute or incontestable therefore are these.
..."The claimant is a professional player who did indeed lose 54 consecutive matches in tournaments on the international professional circuit during which he did not win one set.
...The judge said that the Daily Telegraph was one of a very large number of media outlets that covered the story, and settlements and apologies had been achieved by Mr Dee from a very large number of them, including the BBC and Reuters.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/worl...
Tennis pro Robert Dee today lost his libel action over a claim that he was the "world's worst".
Mr Dee, 23, who comes from Bexley, Kent, but is based in La Manga, Spain, had brought proceedings in London's High Court over an April 2008 story in the Daily Telegraph.
He said it was offensive and could blight his potential future career as a tennis coach.
The newspaper fought the case on the basis that the article, 'World's worst tennis pro wins at last', was not arguably defamatory when read together with another item in the same edition, and that Mr Dee had no real prospect of rebutting the defences of justification and fair comment.
Granting Telegraph Media Group Ltd summary judgment, Mrs Justice Sharp said that the claim of justification must succeed.
"The facts which are either admitted, not in dispute or incontestable therefore are these.
..."The claimant is a professional player who did indeed lose 54 consecutive matches in tournaments on the international professional circuit during which he did not win one set.
...The judge said that the Daily Telegraph was one of a very large number of media outlets that covered the story, and settlements and apologies had been achieved by Mr Dee from a very large number of them, including the BBC and Reuters.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/worl...
Edited by amir_j on Wednesday 28th April 17:39
)Spiritual_Beggar said:
mybrainhurts said:
Being the worst at the dullest, most boring game in the world is about as low as you can get....
Poor sod...
Thought the thread was about a Tennis player? Not golf.Poor sod...
Bat...it's a BAT, you pretentious fools. And LOVE is what you weirdos do to sheep at dawn behind the dry stone wall...
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