(VIDEO) Thanasi Kokkinakis sees umpire change her decision in fiery clash on Roland Garros courts

Tuesday, 26 May 2026 at 16:52

Thanasi Kokkinakis cheering passionately

Thanasi Kokkinakis made his return to the French Open yesterday and safe to say it wasn't exactly the simplest of occasions both in terms of the scoreline and also on-court issues with the umpire as tempers frayed.

Kokkinakis had complained of shoulder issues ahead of the match but found a way at 2-1 down in sets then 5-3 and 30-0 in the decider to take the match 6-7(5-7), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 at the French Open.

It was the 16th time that he had gone the distance in his career sealing a ninth win out of those times in over four hours of time on court. Kokkinakis had issues against Terence Atmane on many levels. He had the hurde of the home crowd who baited him throughout.

But also the umpire who came down from the chair and changed her decision after talking to. In the age of electronic line-calling not something we see too often. Kokkinakis served an ace to lead 5-2, which was disputed by Atmane, leading to the chair umpire assessing the mark on the court.

Umpire clash

It was ruled a fault but after further inspection the point was given to the Aussie following a lengthy chat with the official and also Atmane. The crowd whistled and booed as the discussions were held. The boos continued after the point was awarded to Kokkinakis and the next serve had to be delayed.

"My tennis level, without sounding like an idiot, I'm not that surprised," Kokkinakis said in his press conference.

"I've missed so much time in my career, and I feel like time and time again I've been able to prove and have some good wins after that time.

"But I think to come back after such little tennis on a grand slam stage and in these conditions against a good player from France, as well, it's probably my best mental effort considering where I was."

Not often you see this! 👀

The umpire changed her decision after talking with Thanasi Kokkinakis on court 😲 pic.twitter.com/WRElIQkvA8
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) May 26, 2026

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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