Gael Monfils is NOT happy with chair umpire after numerous warnings (for time to change his shirt, bandage) that eventually led a time violation. Asked US Open official to come to court to plead his case.
"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.
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- They need to stop having the USO finals weekend compete with NFL opening weekend. Tennis sucks at scheduling!
smurphie92413-09-2024 - Anti-Social media has no guardrails... and the Lowest Common Denominators are free to demean and denounce anyone, any time; and obviously do so on a daily basis. Why? Because thus far, given the lack of oversight (much less control) over these public immorally bankrupt entities, there is little-to-no possibility of legal repercussion.
mandoist11-09-2024 - Bitterness will always surface the more one cannot resist the urge to spew personal feelings. Unless this woman is running for office she doesn't get -- nor deserve -- the opportunity to literally reinvent what she plainly said the first time. She's no longer a tennis player, does not represent the sport, and should therefor refrain from meaningless drivel and snottyass remarks about her former colleagues.mandoist11-09-2024
- How is it not clear to pro tennis Elitists in charge that flooding the sport with more and more tournaments is NOT the answer? Such decisions made through PURE GREED disguised as "offering more up & coming players a chance to compete". This sport is, at the very foundation, a Business. Any corporate entity should know by now that introducing too many 'franchises' to a limited market is counterproductive to say the very least? And let us not forget the Top Athletes cannot be everywhere week-to-week no matter how much money the tourneys throw at them. Therefor you get a situation such as the US Open missing out on the Best-of-the-Best. Simple economics -- and definitely common sense -- seems to be lost on the WTA/ATP 'experts' in the offices.mandoist11-09-2024
- And NCAA basketball players? Football players? Am I mistaken or are these male athletes not subject to the same restraints? Also... where does this money go now??mandoist11-09-2024
