‘Worst umpire ever!’: Seeded loser loses it at Wimbledon
FILE – In this Sunday, May 29, 2016 file photo, Serbia’s Viktor Troicki returns the ball to Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris. Viktor Troicki let the chair umpire, and the rest of the world, know exactly how angry he was about a key call one point from the end of his five-set loss against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain at Wimbledon on Thursday June 30, 2016. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
LONDON— Viktor Troicki let the chair umpire — and the rest of the world — know exactly how angry he was about a key call one point from the end of his five-set loss at Wimbledon on Thursday.
There was nothing subtle about the 25th-seeded Troicki’s outburst.
Article continues after this advertisement“Worst umpire ever in the world! What are you doing? Did you see the ball?” Troicki screamed at chair umpire Damiano Torella.
And the player was just getting started.
Some other choice phrases he lobbed at Torella:
Article continues after this advertisement“You’re horrible!”
“What are you doing? Tell me!”
“What are you doing there?! What are you doing there?!”
It all happened as Troicki’s opponent, Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain, served for the match at 5-3 in the final set. At 30-all, Ramos-Vinolas hit a serve that initially was called out by a linesman behind Troicki. It was not clear, exactly, who changed that ruling, but Torella announced the score was now 40-30, crediting Ramos-Vinolas with an ace and pushing him to match point.
Troicki began shouting, “No! No! No!” and went over to retrieve a ball and show it to Torella, saying there was no white chalk left on the yellow fuzz — and, therefore, it had not hit a line.
Later, speaking to a small group of reporters, Troicki said: “I mean, it was such an obvious call.”
“He has no experience, no knowledge about anything,” Troicki said about Torella. “He’s just sitting there, calling the score, not trying to watch the ball.”
The umpire gave Troicki a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. When play resumed, Ramos-Vinolas hit a serve that Troicki returned long with a backhand, giving the Spaniard a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory and a berth in the third round.
After the two players met at the net for a handshake, Troicki approached Torella again, waving a hand at him and saying: “Do you know what you did?” three times.
He carried on, then headed directly from Court 17 to the tournament referee’s office to explain his displeasure, smashing a racket along the way.
Troicki said at his post-match interview that his display “was too much, and I overreacted.”
“Everyone would get (angry) on such a point and such circumstances,” he said. “It was just frustrating and it was tough to handle such a situation.”
Troicki faces a fine for his rant.
“He should be also fined, if you ask me,” Troicki said. “He should be the one who’s fined. I’m not saying he cost me the match, but he cost me an important point which could have changed the outcome of the match.”
He also made the case that the electronic line-calling review system, known as HawkEye, should be available for all singles matches at Wimbledon. It is not used at Court 17.
“I think if we’re playing serious tennis, with such a bad chair umpire,” Troicki said, “I think at least we should have HawkEye.”
