After losing at the Shanghai Masters, American player Frances Tiafoe had an angry outburst when he cursed the umpire several times.
The 26-year-old athlete became enraged with chair umpire Jimmy Pinoargote after losing to Russia’s Roman Safiullin 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).
Later, the athlete apologized and said: “I really apologize for the way I acted…That is not who I am and not how I want to treat people.”
He added: “I let my frustration in the heat of the moment get the best of me and I’m extremely disappointed with how I handled the situation… That’s not acceptable behaviour, and I want to apologize to the umpire, the tournament and the fans.”
Tiafoe’s outburst is considered a verbal abuse violation under the ATP regulations, and it carries a maximum fine of $60,000 (£46,000).
The cause of the outburst
When the American player was awarded a time violation at 5-5 in the tie-break, he erupted because there was a misunderstanding. Tiafoe stated that he threw the ball up to serve, but the chair umpire penalized him, arguing that it was not a legitimate throw to start a point. After the intense exchange, Tiafoe lost the point to his opponent at 6-5.
If the organizers of the tournament agreed that the incident was “flagrant and particularly injurious to the success of a tournament, or singularly egregious”, there could be repercussions. Moreover, if Tiafoe’s acts are seen as an ‘offence of aggravating behaviour’ or ‘conduct prejudicial to the integrity of the game’, he may have to pay a heavier fine.
Source: BBC