Daniil Medvedev should have served an immediate ejection during his Wimbledon semifinal match against Carlos Alcaraz after swearing at the chair umpire Eva Asderaki, if he were to be accountable by the rule book and the former ATP #4 believes the Russian was lucky to escape after receiving a warning.
The controversy sparked during the Medvedev-Alcaraz last four clash at Center court when the chair umpire Eva Asderaki ruled the double-ball when the Russian tried to dig a ball by making a sprint from behind the baseline.
The World #5 reacted angrily and appeared to drop three “f*** you” in a quick meltdown as he directly addressed the lady official who was unhappy with the verbal obscenity and call on the referee and supervisor and consulted on the issue.
She ultimately opted to serve Medvedev a warning and although he went on to seal the first frame, the 2021 US Open Champion eventually lost 6(1)-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Former British #1 says it was a serious incident and mandated a default.
“If you use a swear word you’re going to get a code violation and a warning and a fine, but if you verbally abuse the umpire, that’s when there’s a question mark. It could be a default,” the four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist told the BBC.
“Just from where we’re sitting to see the umpire get down off the umpire’s chair, to see the umpire and the supervisor to go on the court, that doesn’t happen unless something has gone on.”
Medvedev admitted after the match that he had “history” with the Greek tennis official, but asserted that there was no line crossed.
“I don’t know if it was double bounce or not. I thought no. That was tricky,” he explained. “The thing is that once long ago Roland Garros against Cilic I lost, and she didn’t see that was one bounce. So I had this in my mind. I thought, again, against me.
“I said something in Russian, not unpleasant, but not over the line. So I got a code for it.”
Mark Petchey, also a former British #1 says the only reason why Medvedev was not kicked out of the event was because organizers realized it was a high-profile match.
“You can understand he was angry, but then he dropped three f-bombs in a row at the umpire, and that could be a straight default if you go strictly by the rules,” he said on Stan Sport’s Grand Slam Daily.
“That’s why the umpire called the supervisor. Obviously it’s a semi-final at Wimbledon. I think a little bit of latitude was given.
“I suppose the argument is should there be any latitude in that moment?”
The 28-year-old lanky Russian, though, is likely to get a “substantial” fine and Petchey added it is important to keep players on the court because crowd pay their tickets to get entertainment.
“I’m a big one for the entertainment, and that’s why as much as I’m not a big fan of (Medical Time Outs), I feel like you need to keep them to keep the players on the court,” he said.