Stefanos Tsitsipas voiced his displeasure regarding his adversary’s employment of the underarm serve following a missed match point, culminating in a disheartening US Open elimination.
Daniel Altmaier utilized the permissible but infrequently seen strategy on at least a couple of occasions as he mounted a comeback in the fourth set versus the former world No. 3. Tsitsipas communicated his disapproval to Altmaier as they exchanged handshakes at the conclusion of the four-hour, 26-minute encounter.
During a heated exchange, Tsitsipas insinuated to Altmaier that he believed he had been deliberately aiming at his body during the match, implying a perceived lack of respect. The underperforming Greek player stated: “Next time, don’t be surprised if I hit you, OK? No, I’m merely suggesting if you serve underarm … if you serve underarm.”
The crowd expressed its disapproval as the German world No. 56 retreated with his hand raised, declining to engage in further discussion. The 7-6 (5), 1-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 defeat signifies that Tsitsipas will conclude the season without advancing to the third round of a grand slam tournament for the first time since 2017.
Altmaier responded to Sky Sports by stating: “Stefanos will likely regret his remarks tomorrow. In football, physical altercations or heated arguments can occur.
“In tennis, one might utter something deemed inappropriate. It’s an inherent aspect of the sport. Substantial financial stakes and personal confidence are involved. When engaged in tennis until late at night, individuals may occasionally express sentiments they don’t genuinely intend. Or perhaps he does.”
Tsitsipas has not secured consecutive victories since the Barcelona Open in April and has descended to 28th in the global rankings. The 27-year-old, a past finalist at both the Australian and French Opens, ended his association with coach Goran Ivanisevic and reinstated his father, Apostolos, last month.
Efforts aimed at reversing a concerning downward trend in his performance have yet to yield positive results. Tsitsipas’s coaching team also received a warning for providing coaching during the match after Apostolos was observed conveying instructions to him.
This instance marked the inaugural warning issued to a player on the court since the International Tennis Federation (ITF) authorized it in matches earlier in the year. ITF’s Rule 30 permits “brief, discreet verbal guidance or hand signals from a coach, but solely during breaks or sanctioned periods, and not during active play.”
This year’s US Open has also had controversy when Jelena Ostapenko and Taylor Townsend were involved in a ‘racism’ situation, while Daniil Medvedev had a fit after getting knocked out by Benjamin Bonzi of France because a photographer walked onto the court by mistake.
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