British tennis star Jack Draper advanced to the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Open by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime, with the match overshadowed by a row over a controversial match point.
Draper came from a set down to beat the Canadian 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, but Auger-Aliassime disputed the British No1 winning the final point.
The umpire adjudged Draper to have hit a volleyed winner, with the ball hitting the frame of his racket and with the aid of a net cord bouncing onto Auger-Aliassime’s side of the court.
Auger-Aliassime contested that Draper had ‘shanked it on the floor’ before it had looped over.
Draper spoke to the umpire asking for a replay, stating ‘I would replay it, if there was a replay, I would replay but I don’t know.’
Felix Auger-Aliassime contested the final point of his match against Britain’s Jack Draper, right
The Canadian insisted Draper’s shot touched the ground before bouncing over the net
Draper had come from a set down to win the match 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 at the Cincinnati Open
His rival responded ‘Jack, you know, it doesn’t matter where you were looking, you’ve played enough that you know when you hit it, you know where it went’.
In a heated exchange with Gregory Allensworth, Auger-Aliassime warned the umpire he would look ‘ridiculous’ if he stood by his decision to award the point to Draper.
‘You’re going to get out now and then it’s going to go everywhere and it’s going to look ridiculous,’ said Auger-Aliassime, who appeared to have been correct.
‘I’m serious, it’s going to look ridiculous.
‘It is going to be crazy. I know it is not his [Draper’s] place to make that call, it’s match point for him, it’s the win for him, but it’s your place to make that call.
‘Are you seriously not coming back on your call.’
Amid the on-court discussion, the crowd began chanting ‘replay’ as the match supervisor was called down to address the situation.
Draper, who was unwilling to concede the point without replay evidence, insisted he was unaware where the ball had gone.
The match supervisor was called to address the situation as Draper questioned a replay
Auger-Aliassime eventually conceded the point with the two players hugging at the net
‘I don’t know, I was looking at him, it’s your call,’ he told the umpire.
‘This is why I said about the replay earlier.
‘I might look like an idiot now because people say I’m not being fair, but I was looking at him.’
Chair umpire Allensworth remained with his initial decision, with no video replays available to view.
‘I just have to call it how I saw it,’ Allensworth told Auger-Aliassime. If I had a doubt, I would tell you but listen, we can go back and look at it after the match and if I see I’m wrong, I’ll admit it to you.
‘But for now, I can’t go back and look at it.’
The controversial decision prompted debate on social media, with Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas – who lost to Draper in the previous round – among those weighing in.
‘Oh my, I don’t think I have ever seen a shot like this,’ Tsitsipas posted.
Australian star Nick Kyrgios appeared to criticise Draper, insisting he knew where the ball had gone.
‘Mate. Horrible call, but every player knows you know exactly where you hit it hahaha ridiculous stuff,’ Kyrgios said.
Auger-Aliassime had insisted the umpire would ‘look ridiculous’ by standing by his decision
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyrgios were among the players to weigh in on the decision online
The controversy has renewed calls for more video replays, with American star Coco Gauff recently calling for their use after controversial decisions in her matches at the French Open and the Olympic Games.
Video replays were used at the US Open for the first time last year to check for double bounces and foul shots, with the system set to be in use again at this month’s tournament.
Players will be allowed up to three incorrect challenges per set with the chair umpire able to review replays.
Draper, following the controversial conclusion to his match, will face Denmark’s Holger Rune in the quarter-finals in Cincinnati.