Paris, June 3 (UNI) French Open contender Hubert Hurkacz came under fire for an unusual request during his match against Grigor Dimitrov, with accusations of disrespect towards female umpire Alison Hughes.
Despite a commendable 7-6, 6-4, 7-6 victory for Dimitrov, the fourth-round clash at Roland-Garros Court Suzanne Lenglen here on Monday was marred by an unexpected incident.
Hurkacz, frustrated by a decision that went against him, sought to change umpires mid-match, asking Dimitrov, “You wanna continue with the lady here or you wanna change?”
“Change what?’ Dimitrov awkwardly responded as Hurkacz hit back: ‘Change the umpire!’
The exchange sparked criticism from tennis enthusiasts on social media, with many expressing disappointment at Hurkacz’s behaviour, especially considering Hughes’ experience as an umpire. Hurkacz attempted to downplay the incident in his post-match conference, attributing the request to the challenging nature of clay court play.
The incident has stirred debate about sportsmanship and respect on the court, prompting calls for Hurkacz to issue an apology to Hughes.
