"That's a f***ing embarrassment to the sport" - Dan Evans launches foul-mouthed rant at Sydney Tennis Classic
Dan Evans went on an expletive-laden rant during his semifinal match against Aslan Karatsev at the 2022 Sydney Tennis Classic. The Brit lost his cool early in the final set and questioned the amount of time Karatsev was given for a bathroom break.
Evans felt the Russian's bathroom break at the end of the second set took longer than the allotted five minutes. According to the new ATP rules, bathroom breaks can only be taken at the end of a set. And they can only last a maximum of five minutes, provided the player undergoes a change of outfit - which Karatsev did.
Part of the epic meltdown here… twitter.com/nathsalt1/stat… https://t.co/iHK8ZEeTdU
The chair umpire did not think Karatsev had overshot the five minute mark, but the Brit was sure that he had. With the score at 0-1, 30-40 in the final set, Evans went on a rant, questioning the Russian's behavior and claiming the officials were an "embarrassment to the sport."
His outburst was initially directed at a member of Karatsev's box, prompting the umpire to call the Brit for 'unsportsmanlike conduct.'
"That's a f***ing embarrassment to the sport, embarrassing. F**k him," Evans yelled.
"That's a f***ing embarrassment to the sport, embarrassing. F**k him,' Evans screams.
"You DIDN'T apply the rules. You didn't!"
Dan Evans broken in the decider and he's furious at Karatsev's five-minute bathroom break
After Karatsev broke to take a 2-0 lead in the final set, Evans went on a tirade against the umpire, insisting that the break lasted more than five minutes. He went on to ask the umpire if he had really timed the duration of the No. 1 seed's break and wanted to know exactly how long it lasted.
He's lost it here.
"No-one on this tour plays tennis without running. You sit there on your walkie-talkie, why do you have that? I want an answer. Have you got an answer? How long was he off the court? Tell me, I want to know."
"You didn't apply the rules. You didn't! Five minutes to change his shorts and t-shirt? Five minutes? Good effort," Evans screamed at the umpire. "No one on this tour plays tennis without running. You sit there on your walkie-talkie, why do you have that? I want an answer. How long was he off the court? Tell me, I want to know."
"Five minutes to change his shorts and t-shirt? Five minutes? Good effort"
Sarcasm taking charge now. He's furious.
The World No. 26 appeared to cool down after a while and regained his composure to break back. But ultimately, it was not enough as the Russian won the match and progressed to the final, where he will face Andy Murray.
The second set between Dan Evans and Aslan Karatsev involved a 28-point tie-break
With Andy Murray sealing his spot in the final earlier in the day, Dan Evans had a chance to make it the first all-British ATP tour singles final in the Open Era. But his semifinal against Aslan Karatsev did not start off as planned, as the Russian took the first set 6-3.
The second set went to a tie-break, where Evans saved three match points to remain in the contest. Karatsev saved five set points of his own, but the Brit converted his sixth on the 28th point of the tiebreak to take the set 7-6(13).
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