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Novak Djokovic slams ‘embarrassing’ Jack Draper incident and demands video replays be used in tennis
Novak Djokovic branded the match-winning incident involving British player Jack Draper “embarrassing” and joined calls for video replays to be introduced in tennis.
Draper, the British No 1, found himself at the centre of an umpire controversy after his victory at the Cincinnati Open over Felix Auger-Aliassime last week came in bizarre and angry circumstances.
After umpire Greg Allensworth ruled in Draper’s favour, Auger-Aliassime raged against what he saw as an incorrect call, with replays backing up the Canadian as the ball clearly bounced on the Briton’s side of the court.
Allensworth, unable to view replays of the crucial shot, had to stick with his original call despite auger-Aliassime protesting “It’s going to go everywhere now and it’s going to look ridiculous”, and though the supervisor was also called out to the court, they did not have the power to overturn the decision unless Draper made a call that he was unwilling to make.
It has prompted a strong response from within the game, with Djokovic joining calls for video replays to be utilised to avoid the farcical scenes that were witnessed in Cincinnati.
“It’s embarrassing that we don’t have video replay of these kind of situations on the court,” Djokovic posted on X. “What’s even more ridiculous is that we don’t have the rule in place that would allow chair umpires to change the original call based on the video review that happens off the court!
“Everyone who watches TV sees what happened on the replay, yet the players on the court are kept in [the] ‘dark’ not knowing what’s the outcome. We have Hawk-Eye for line calls, we live in the technologically advanced 21st century! Please respective Tours, make sure this nonsense never happens again!”
Djokovic was responding to a message from Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas, who posed: “I don’t think I have ever seen a shot like this.”
Briton’s Cincinnati Open run ended by Rune
Despite the controversy going in his favour, Draper’s run at the Cincinnati Open ended in the quarter-finals as he bowed out in straight sets to Denmark’s Holger Rune.
Draper had come from a set down in his previous two matches, but was unable to repeat the feat against the 15th seed, going down 4-6, 2-6.
A tight first set was decided on the only break point as Rune took his chance.
The Dane broke again to start the second set and saved three break points on his serve, seizing his only other opportunity on Draper’s serve in the 11th game before serving out for victory.
Rune will play Frances Tiafoe in the last four after Hubert Hurkacz retired because of a calf injury a set down in the quarter-final.
Top seed Jannick Sinner, who avenged last week’s defeat to Andrey Rublev in Montreal 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, will meet Alexander Zverev after the German beat Ben Shelton 3-6, 7-6, 7-5.
In the women’s tournament, Aryna Sabalenka advanced to her first Cincinnati Open final with relative ease, defeating Polish world No 1 Iga Swiatek 6-3, 6-3 in the semi-finals on Sunday.
In their third clash of the season and their first on a hard court, the Belarusian world No 3 showcased her prowess with a fast-paced, aggressive style.
Despite a valiant effort to mount a late comeback Swiatek struggled to keep up with Sabalenka’s pace and precision and was ultimately unable to close the deficit.
Sabalenka will compete in her ninth WTA 1000 final on Monday, while US player Jessica Pegula faces Spain’s Paula Badosa later on Sunday for the other spot in the final.
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