Zizou Bergs causes tennis controversy by colliding with opponent
Belgium booked their place in the second round of the Davis Cup thanks to Zizou Bergs' victory in Hasselt on Sunday night. But the way in which Bergs won has sparked controversy in the tennis world and, by extension, a debate about the sport's rules.
In his match against Chilean Cristian Garin, Bergs won a crucial point deep in the decisive third set. The Belgian celebrated by sprinting to the net and leaping into the air, colliding with his opponent.
Garin sank to the ground and grabbed his eye. Bergs apologised and the umpire warned him for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Chilean tennis player was examined by a doctor and then engaged in a heated discussion with his coach and the umpire, arguing that Bergs should have been disqualified.
The umpire did not budge. Garin then remained in his seat, refusing to continue the match. He was sanctioned three times for not returning to the court, and Belgium won the match and qualified for the next round.
A sport divided
The tennis world is divided over the incident, which is unprecedented in the history of the non-contact sport. Bergs himself said it was an accident: "It's unfortunate that a match has to end like that," he said after the match. "I hope everyone saw that it was unintentional. The final decision was made by the referee."
"I hope everyone saw that it was unintentional"
Referee Carlos Ramos agreed that it was a "very unfortunate accident". The independent tournament doctor cleared Garin of any injury, Ramos explained, meaning the Chilean had committed a time violation by not returning to the pitch.
Chile, meanwhile, are outraged. In a statement on Monday, the Chilean Tennis Federation said that Garin did not receive the attention he deserved from the neutral doctor on site. “Due to this injustice, we announce that we will initiate all relevant actions before the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to seek justice."
"So the player is injured and can’t continue to play but we do like nothing happened," Garin himself said on Instagram. “Wow what a beautiful world and what a great mentality." Meanwhile, Berg's Instagram profile has been inundated with thousands of hate messages in Spanish.
Debate on tennis rules
Despite the row between Belgium and Chile, the event has also sparked a debate about the behaviour of tennis players on the court and the interpretation of the rules. The rules do not state that the outcome of an action should influence the referee's decision. So whether Garin was injured or not should not have impacted Bergs' sanction.
Nevertheless, the referee's decision is unlikely to be overturned. "We understand the emotions involved in this unusual incident, but the final decision was made after considering all the facts and the unique circumstances surrounding it," the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said after the match.
Belgium will play Australia in the second round of the Davis Cup in September.
© BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE
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