Andrey Rublev calls for rule change after being kicked out of Dubai semi-final
The Russian was defaulted from his semi-final against Alexander Bublik after shouting at a line judge
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Andrey Rublev has called on the ATP Tour to change the rule that led to him being defaulted at the Dubai Tennis Championships last week.
Rublev was defaulted by the chair umpire after a Russian-speaking official said he had used an obscenity while yelling at a line judge over a call during his semi-final with Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik on Friday.
Rublev denied the accusation and urged the officials to review video of the incident, a request which was rejected.
Bublik was ahead 6-7(4) 7-6(5) 6-5 when he was awarded the win but world number five Rublev later successfully appealed the decision and will retain the ranking points and prize money he earned, barring a fine of $36,400 (£28,713) for a code violation.
In a post on Instagram, Rublev thanked the appeals committee but said the rules needed a rethink.
“I hope that in the future, the ATP will take a closer look at this rule and make changes to it, so that an official can’t force a match outcome without having clear evidence and not letting the player have a video review,” Rublev said.
Reuters has contacted the ATP for comment.
“While I’m disappointed that I wasn’t able to finish my semi-final in Dubai, I am grateful for all the support I had from you the last two days, I received a lot of messages,” Rublev added.
Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments