Introduction
During the Roland Garros tournament, No. 8 seed Hubert Hurkacz made an unusual request to change the chair umpire in the middle of his match against No. 10 seed Grigor Dimitrov. This request came after a controversial line call, adding another surprising moment to this year’s tournament.
The Match Setup
- Players: Hubert Hurkacz (No. 8 seed) vs. Grigor Dimitrov (No. 10 seed)
- Occasion: Fourth-round match at Roland Garros
- Court: Suzanne Lenglen
- Stakes: Winner would face world No. 2 Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals
The Incident
- Context: Hurkacz was down two sets and struggling in the third set.
- Controversial Call: At 5-4 in the third set, chair umpire Alison Hughes ruled one of Hurkacz’s forehands out after inspecting the mark upon Dimitrov’s request.
- Hurkacz’s Reaction: Outraged, Hurkacz demanded the supervisor and expressed his frustration.
Request to Change Umpire
- Initial Reaction: Hurkacz shouted “So BAD!” towards his team.
- During Changeover: He asked Dimitrov if they should request a change of the chair umpire, Alison Hughes, who is a highly experienced Gold Badge umpire with over 30 years in the field.
- Dimitrov’s Response: Confused, Dimitrov left the decision to Hurkacz but walked over to discuss the situation.
Resolution
- Discussion: After some back-and-forth conversation, the players seemed to resolve the issue.
- High Five: Hurkacz and Dimitrov high-fived, and play continued without changing the umpire.
- Outcome: Dimitrov won the match 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (3).
Conclusion
The incident involving Hubert Hurkacz’s request to change the umpire highlighted the intense emotions and unexpected moments that can occur in high-stakes matches. Despite the controversy, the match continued, and Dimitrov advanced to the next round.
References
- “Grigor Dimitrov completes career set of Grand Slam quarterfinals at Roland Garros”
- Details from the match and reactions from players and officials
- This structured breakdown simplifies the incident and provides clear subheadings to guide the reader through the events.
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