'This is a joke': Players attack umpire in ugly Indian Wells drama
Denis Shapovalov was once again at the centre of ugly scenes involving an umpire at Indian Wells on Wednesday, labelling the official a 'joke' and a 'disgrace'.
The Canadian young gun copped a rebuke at the Australian Open in January after saying the umpires were "all corrupt" during a loss to Rafael Nadal.
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And the World No.13 was back at it again on Wednesday during a doubles match with Rohan Bopanna.
In action against Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, controversy erupted when Gonzalez hit a ball into the ground and over the net.
The chair umpire never saw the ball hit the ground and believed Gonzalez had simply volleyed it back over the net for a winner.
Shapovalov and Bopanna couldn't believe the missed call, immediately remonstrating with the umpire.
"If you don't see something like that there's no point being up there," Shapovalov said to the umpire as she repeatedly told him she didn't see the ball hit the ground.
"If you don't see this, this is a joke!
"There's no point in playing tennis if you don't see something like that. It's basic tennis.
"That was the cleanest shot into the court I've ever seen in my life."
To make matters worse for Shapovalov and Bopanna they lost 4-6 6-4 10-4.
Nick Kyrgios the lone Aussie hope at Indian Wells
Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios advanced to the Indian Wells quarter-finals without needing to hit a ball in the round of 16, but countryman Alex de Minaur was ousted.
Kyrgios received a walkover when Italian young gun Jannik Sinner withdrew from the tournament due to illness.
De Minaur's attempt to join his fellow Australian in the next round was thwarted by California local Taylor Fritz 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-5).
The 29th-seeded de Minaur took the first set, but Fritz fought back to prevail in a third-set tiebreaker.
De Minaur was up an early break in the deciding set before he battled back from a break down.
The tiebreaker went with serve until the 12th point when 20th-seed Fritz forced a backhand error from de Minaur.
De Minaur is now 0-7 in round of 16 matches at ATP Masters 1000 events.
Fritz moves on to play Unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, who stunned World No.6 Matteo Berrettini 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-4.
Kecmanovic absorbed his opponent's power serve in the first set, converting on a break point chance in the fourth game, as a frustrated Berrettini won just eight return points.
Italian Berrettini, who reached his first grand slam final at Wimbledon last year, won a tense tiebreak to level proceedings.
Kecmanovic kept the pressue on Berrettini in the deciding set and pounced to break serve to love in the final game.
with AAP
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