"I don't want to play anymore": Gael Monfils threatens to walk off court in US Open heated exchange
ATPThursday, 29 August 2024 at 18:24
Controversy again with umpires was the main talking point of Gael Monfils losing out to Casper Ruud at the 2024 US Open.
He had progressed into Round Two after a convincing win over Diego Schwartzman. But despite some incredible trickshots and showmanship, Monfils fell 3-1 in sets.
Slipping to two sets down, he sat on his bench to refocus for the task in hand. He changed his shirt, bandages on his fingers as well as his wristbands. By the time Monfils had stood up, he realised that he forgot to put his wristbands on and returned to get them.
The umpire though was in a less forgiving mood. He handled the 37-year-old a time violation. But it was one that did not sit well with the Frenchman as he immediately protested it.
"This one is unnecessary. Why would you give me a time violation? For which reason? It is not necessary.”
“I took my time. Can you [the supervisor] come on the court because I don’t understand? I changed my shirt, I changed my bandage… then I go and you give me a time violation for this?
“I don’t want to play under these conditions! I change my shirt, I change my bandage, I forgot to put my wristband on… it’s for the fact I’m always correct, I’ve never had this and then you tell me this.
“I don't want to play anymore, he (chair umpire) take off my motivation.”
Of course he did continue playing and he took the third set but Ruud fought back to force a tie with Juncheng Shang on Friday afternoon.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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