Disqualified: Marc Polmans Apologizes for Hitting Umpire in the Face with Ball
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday October 3, 2023Aussie Marc Polmans has been having a solid season, rising in the rankings from well outside the Top 300 to inside the Top 150, thanks to 39 wins across all levels.
The 26-year-old was denied his 40th win in Shanghai, however, as he was disqualified from a qualifying match after hitting a ball in anger that struck the umpire in the face.There isn’t much video of the incident, but there is more than enough here:
Il video del momento che è costato la squalifica a Marc Polmans e il conseguente ingresso di Napolitano nel main draw di Shanghai.Fonte: https://t.co/yfPI9DeUGI pic.twitter.com/HYJxhCCX6D
— TeIegrammiDiTennis (@TelDiTen) October 3, 2023
Polman was leading Italy's Stefano Napolitano 7-6 (3),6-6 (6-5) when he botched a volley at the net and abruptly sent the ball flying. Unfortunately the ball hit chair umpire Ben Anderson in the face. Polmans was quickly disqualified and, reportedly, Anderson is okay.A day later, Polmans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to apologize. "The umpire, Ben, has accepted my apology for my actions – he knows it was unintentional and I shanked the ball on the frame in frustration in the heat of the moment," Polmans wrote. "We both move on. It was a high pressure situation and I should have reacted better."
It had been a great season full of hope for Polmans, until then. He has never made the main draw of a Masters 1000 event.An update from me – the umpire , Ben, has accepted my apology for my actions – he knows it was unintentional and I shanked the ball on the frame in frustration in the heat of the moment.
— marc polmans (@marcpolmans) October 4, 2023
We both move on.
It was a high pressure situation and I should have reacted better.
Australian @marcpolmans has made massive improvements to his @atptour singles ranking in the past 12 months 📈September 2022: No.782
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) September 26, 2023
September 2023: No.140#GoAussieshttps://t.co/qGxn8ObKJp
The incident was eerily similar to one involving Denis Shapovalov at Davis Cup, which saw the Canadian fire a ball that hit umpire Arnaud Gabas in the eye. Gabas had to have surgery to repair a fractured bone under his left eye.
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