'This is brutal': Tennis star's extraordinary act after dodgy umpiring call
The Italian Open has played host to some bizarre scenes as Marton Fucsovics was cruelled by a bizarre umpiring blunder.
The World No.37 was battling Nikoloz Basilashvili on Monday when the chair umpire overruled what would have been a double fault.
Basilashvili had match point at 6-2 in the second-set tie-breaker when the line judge called his second serve a fault.
But the chair umpire overruled and Basilashvili got another first serve, winning the replayed point and the match.
Fucsovics asked the umpire to come down and check the mark, but the official claimed the ball had skipped across the back of the line.
So Fucsovics decided to take matters into his own hands after the match, taking a photo of the mark (which appeared to be well out) with his phone.
He then uploaded it to his social media channels, asking his followers whether they thought it was out or not.
“I didn’t want to but I received a lot of requests to post it,” he said of the photo.
“If the ball is out then it’s a double fault…still some chance for me.”
And the response was pretty overwhelming.
Calls for change
The controversy sparked calls to introduce Hawk-Eye on clay, with Canadian star Denis Shapovalov leading the charge.
“This is brutal in my opinion,” Shapovalov wrote on Twitter.
“We need to have Hawkeye on clay. There has to be a way.”
This is brutal in my opinion. We need to have Hawkeye on clay. There has to be a way. What do you guys think. https://t.co/D2w8U8W0L2
— Denis Shapovalov (@denis_shapo) May 12, 2019
It’s clear out!
— Daniel Zhouri (@danzhouri) May 12, 2019
Hawk-Eye much needed on clay.
— Amber (@AmberRajen) May 12, 2019
Crazy decision
— Miliswa Mvoko (@Milliswa) May 12, 2019
CLAY NEEDS HAWKEYE!!!!
— Andrew Ch P (@dRewChristianJr) May 13, 2019
I agree.
Technology-aid is needed
Not fair to depend on only umpire’s judge.
Sorry for players💦— akiaki (@akiaki70697074) May 13, 2019
Hawkeye on clay. It’s time! This kind of umpiring is old, archaic, and prone to more error.
— Erik Weimer (@Electric_Erik) May 12, 2019