Jack Draper beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in controversial circumstances at the Cincinnati Open as Carlos Alcaraz smashed his racquet during a defeat by Gael Monfils.
Draper emerged a 5-7 6-4 6-4 winner, despite Auger-Aliassime arguing with the umpire that the Briton should not have been awarded the final point of their last-16 match.
The Canadian claimed the ball had hit the frame of Draper’s racket and then the floor on match point, saying his opponent “shanked it on the floor”, though the umpire disagreed.
Auger-Aliassime eventually conceded defeat, although replays appeared to back up his claim.
“I was too busy looking at him,” said Draper during his on-court interview following the match.
“I didn’t see what happened. I looked at the umpire straight away to see if he called a double bounce or not.
“As a player, I’m trying to focus on what I’m doing. I can’t make that call if I’m not 100%.
“I said, when the supervisor came on, that if it was a double bounce and that he saw it clearly then I would have 100% replayed the point.”
Auger-Aliassime faced Draper having beaten Casper Ruud 6-3 6-1 earlier in the day in a match delayed by rain.
Draper, who will play Holger Rune in the quarter-finals, added: “We’ve had a long battle out here and it would be ultra unfair on Felix if the match was won in that kind of way.
“I really couldn’t make that call myself because I really didn’t see it.”
Draper beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the previous round and, in response to the match point controversy, the Greek posted a message on social media, external saying, “oh my”.
He added: “I don’t think I have ever seen a shot like this.”
Analysis – VAR expanded at US Open
There should be much less chance of a repeat of what happened in this match at the upcoming US Open – as the video review system is being expanded to cover eight courts.
Players will be allowed up to three incorrect challenges per set, and once the chair umpire has received the best angles available on their tablet, they will be able to rule whether there is clear enough evidence to overturn a decision.
The video will also be shown on the big screens within each court.
“That now covers almost 75% to 80% of the singles matches, and up to 50% of the doubles,” US Open tournament director Stacey Allaster said earlier this week.
The worst match in my career – Alcaraz
Alcaraz was beaten 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 by France’s Monfils in a second-round match carried over from the previous day because of rain.
The 21-year-old Spaniard, who has won the French Open and Wimbledon titles this year, smashed his racquet after failing to break Monfils, 37, in the third set.
“I felt sometimes that I wanted to break the racquet,” said Alcaraz immediately after the defeat. “It never happened before, because I could control myself in those situations, in those feelings.
“Today, I couldn’t control myself, because, as I said, I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis.”
The Olympic silver-medallist later apologised for his behaviour on his official Instagram account, external and said he would work on ensuring there would be no repeat at the US Open, which starts on 26 August.
“I want to apologise for my attitude yesterday, it was not good and that should not happen on court,” he wrote.
“I’m human, the nerves had accumulated and sometimes it’s very tough to control when there is that tension.
“I will work so that it doesn’t happen again. Now it’s time to think about NYC!”
Monfils went on to play Rune and was beaten 3-6 6-3 6-4 by the Dane.
Meanwhile, women’s world number one Iga Swiatek made it into the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals with a comfortable 6-2 6-2 win against Marta Kostyuk.
She will play Mirra Andreeva, who beat Italy’s Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini 3-6 6-3 6-2.
“I’m happy I was solid. I was disciplined with all the things that I wanted to take care of,” said Swiatek.
Aryna Sabalenka secured a 7-5 6-2 victory against Elina Svitolina, while Jessica Pegula won a delayed second-round match against Karolina Muchova 5-7 6-4 6-2 before beating Taylor Townsend 6-2 6-3 in her second match of the day.
