One of France’s top tennis players engaged in a heated argument with a match umpire during his third round doubles match after receiving a warning for spitting on the court.
Nicolas Mahut demanded to speak with the tournament supervisor during the early stages of the first set after being given a code violation. The Frenchman and his partner, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, were taking on Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic. According to the umpire Mahut was asked not to spit after being seen doing so twice, then when he did it for a third time he was issued with the penalty.
“I’m not talking to you! I’ll talk to the supervisor and you don’t talk to me, from now until the end of the match,” a livid Mahut told the umpire.
“You don’t talk to me any more. I just don’t want to talk to you any more.”
Trying to diffuse the situation tournament supervisor Claire Wood entered the court and backed the ruling in line with new regulations. Spitting on the court is not allowed at the French Open due to tighter regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the new rules that has been put into place this year. Although Mahut continued to plead his innocence and even at one stage asked to see a copy of the French Open rulebook.
“Every time I play on clay I have something in my throat and I have to spit on the court,” he said to the supervisor.
Unfortunately for the Frenchman Wood showed little sympathy to his plea as she told him to start using tissues in his pocket instead. It is likely that Mahut will be issued with a fine of some sort with the code violation being classed as unsportsmanlike conduct.
“That’s the stupidest rule I have ever heard,” he complained.
Mahut, who is playing in his 20th French Open main draw at the age of 38, claims that he received no warning in his two previous matches after doing the same actions and questioned if all tournament officials are aware of the new rule in place.
2018 champions Mahut and Herbert, who were the sixth seeds Roland Garros, crashed out in straight sets to Koolhof and Mektic.
