Canada’s Vasek Pospisil reached boiling point at the Miami Open On Wednesday after he unleashed a verbal tirade against the chairman on the ATP during his first round loss.
The world No.67 clashed with the umpire early on in his match against American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald which he lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. It began during the closing stages of the first set when he smashed his racket on the floor. Pospisil also hit a ball out of the court and shouted at the umpire. He was issued with a verbal abuse penalty on set point which cost him the first set.
After falling behind in the match, the 30-year-old even threatened to sue the ATP if he was defaulted. Although his primary frustration wasn’t with anybody on the court. It was with Andrea Gaudenzi who is the chairman of the ATP.
“For an hour-and-a-half yesterday, chair of the ATP f****** screaming at me in a player meeting for trying to unite the players,” he said to chair umpire Arnaud Gabas. “For an hour and a half. The leader of the ATP. Get him out here. F****** a*******. Why am I supporting this?”
Pospisil is the co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players Association with Novak Djokovic. The organisation has been set up to campaign for players to have a greater say when it comes to the decision making process in men’s tennis. However, the PTPA hasn’t received backing from the Players Council who has previously urged their peers not to join because they say the motives of the group are unclear. They are also yet to reach a common agreement with the ATP.
Taking to social media, Pospisil later apologised for his behaviour in Miami which will likely result in him getting a fine. He blamed his actions on a meeting with the ATP that took place the day before which has left him ‘unnerved‘.
“I want to sincerely apologize for my behaviour on the court in Miami earlier today. I disrespected the game I love and for that I am truly sorry,” Pospisil wrote on Twitter.
“By way of explanation, I felt deeply unnerved during a meeting between players and ATP executives last night, and I underestimated the toll those emotions took on me until I stepped onto the court today. Again, I am sorry for my on-court behaviour and the language I used.”
Details of the Players meeting have not been made public but one report by Open Court claims that the Canadian player was brought to tears. According to what they describe as a ‘reliable source,’ the website alleges that Pospisil was called “ignorant” and “uneducated” over his involvement in the PTPA in front of his peers.
Pospisil has won only one out of five matches played on the Tour so far this season.
