By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Monday, August 5, 2024
Photo credit: Mubadala Citi DC Open
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) will allow Canada’s Denis Shapovalov to keep his ranking points and prize money earned at last week’s Washington DC event though he was defaulted for issuing an audible obscenity at a fan during his quarterfinal match against Ben Shelton.
ATP issued a statement online on Monday saying, “The fines committee has affirmed that officials followed correct procedures in defaulting the player. However, the committee has concluded that loss of rankings points and prize money, which is automatically applied in the case of a default, would be a disproportionate penalty in this case. Shapovalov therefore retains quarter-final points and prize money, with a fine of $36,400 applied for the code violation.”
The ruling comes after much criticism from players and fans about the previous decision on the default that occurred in Shapovalov’s quarterfinal battle with Shelton at the Mubadala Citi DC Open.
Shapovalov, down triple match point in a second set tiebreaker, was heard swearing at a spectator. After the umpire issued a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct, the tournament supervisor was called to the court.
Shapovalov pleaded his case, saying that the spectator provoked him first by verbally taunting him.
Shelton also spoke to the umpire and said he heard what the spectator said. However, the umpire told the supervisor he didn’t hear what the spectator said, only Shapovalov’s response.
Shapovalov was ultimately defaulted, sending Shelton into the semifinals.
The ATP did rule that Shapovalov will be fined $36,400 for the code violation. His total prize money for reaching the quarterfinals amounts to $53,240. Shapovalov gains 100 rankings points, which allows him to rise 33 spots in the ATP rankings today.
Former World No. 10 Shapovalov has not publicly commented on the default or on the subsequent ATP ruling. Based on his results in DC, he will now rise to World No. 106 in the ATP rankings
Photo Credit: Mubadala Citi DC Open