PARIS — Novak Djokovic has called for the introduction of video reviews in tennis after the bizarre conclusion to Jack Draper’s match at the Cincinnati Open prompted a wider debate about the use of replays in the sport.
Djokovic blasted the absence of video technology as “embarrassing” as the Olympic champion and 24-time Grand Slam title winner weighed in on an umpiring row at Cincinnati.
Draper defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime at the US Open warm-up event on Friday despite a suspicion the ball hit the Briton’s racquet and then the floor before it popped over the net to secure the match-winning point.
Despite the Canadian’s protests, the point was ruled legitimate by the chair umpire and Draper was declared the winner.
The two-time grand slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas reposted a video of the point on X, adding: “I don’t think I have ever seen a shot like this.”
Responding to that post, Djokovic called for the use of regular video reviews to help prevent such incidents. “It’s embarrassing that we don’t have video replay of these kind of situations on the court,” he wrote.
“What’s even more ridiculous is that we don’t have the rule in place that would allow chair umpires to change the original call based on the video review that happens off the court!
“Everyone who watches TV sees what happened on the replay, yet the players on the court are kept in the ‘dark’ not knowing what’s the outcome,” he added according to AFP.
The Serb star added: “We have Hawkeye for line calls, we live in the technologically advanced 21st century! Please respective Tours, make sure this nonsense never happens again!”
Draper’s run at the Cincinnati Open ended in a 4-6, 2-6 defeat by Holger Rune in the quarter-finals.
A tight first set was decided on its only break point, before Rune broke the Briton again at the start of the second set and saved three break points on his own serve to complete the win.
The US Open, the last Grand Slam event of the season, uses video replay but it is widely absent from tour events.
American star Coco Gauff also demanded the introduction of video replays after being dumped out of the Olympic Games at Roland Garros in Paris last month
US Open champion and world number two Gauff became embroiled in a tearful, bitter dispute with the chair umpire over a line call during her loss to Donna Vekic.
She had also argued with the umpire during her semi-final defeat to Iga Swiatek at the French Open on the same courts in June.
Again, the dispute centred on a line call.
“I’m getting cheated in this game. You guys are not fair to me,” Gauff told the chair umpire at the Olympics.
“I feel like in tennis, we should have a VR (video review) system because these points are big deals. And, yeah, usually afterwards, they apologise, so it’s kind of frustrating when the sorry doesn’t help you once the match is over,” she said.
Elsewhere, Asia Muhammad and Erin Routliffe turned their friendship into a perfect team debut by capturing Cincinnati Open doubles title.
Pairing up for the first time in their careers, No.3 seeds Muhammad and Routliffe outlasted another first-time partnership, unseeded Leylah Fernandez and Yulia Putintseva, 3-6, 6-1, [10-4] in an 80-minute doubles final.
It is a milestone moment for both Muhammad of the United States and New Zealand’s Routliffe, who each capture their first WTA 1000 title.
“We’re, like, best friends, so we’ve been wanting to play together for a while, and we got the chance to this week,” Routliffe said on court during the trophy presentation.
“I’ve lost in a lot of finals this year, so I’m really glad she could carry me to win one of them!”
“You are my best friend, so it’s amazing to share the court with you,” Muhammad added.
“It was a really fun work week. Not everyone can say they get to work with their best friend.”
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