By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday August 4, 2021
Drama and bad feelings took center stage at the Citi Open on Tuesday, as Australia’s Jordan Thompson became outraged by what he perceived to be a wrong call. His opponent, Elias Ymer of Sweden, won the point, but Thompson, who was at the net and had a good view of the shot, believed it was a double bounce. See the video, which doesn’t reveal much (except for anger) below.
Thompson pleaded with Ymer, and the umpire, to no avail, then lost the match as Ymer converted his seventh match point. After the match ended, Thompson and Ymer got up close and personal, with the umpire coming between the pair as they shouted at each other.
Ymer claims he doesn’t know if the ball bounced twice. Thompson swears it did, and claims that Ymer knows. Who is right?
Ymer won the match, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, but was knocked out of the draw by John Millman on Wednesday, 6-2, 7-6(8).
According to tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg, Thompson had the following to say about the controversial moment.
“Thompson today was still not happy with what happened (1/3): “Still really angry and upset at the lack of sportsmanship from Ymer. It’s disappointing that he would claim a point when he knows he didn’t make a shot, and even more disappointed my the umpire’s decision.
“Tennis is supposed to be a gentleman’s game, and to get that kind of sportsmanship, it’s not fair. That’s why I reacted this way. He claims he didn’t see it; he clearly knew. Obviously he knew, he’s the one who didn’t make the shot.”