Scandal in Shanghai

Tsitsipas flips out: “I hope you get fired!”

Stefanos Tsitsipas (left) clashed with chair umpire Fergus Murphy (right).

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Greek tennis pro Stefanos Tsitsipas caused a scandal at the ATP tournament in Shanghai. After his defeat in the round of 16 against Daniil Medvedev, he saw the chair umpire as the scapegoat and raged: "I hope you get fired!"

Tsitsipas not only fought a duel against Medvedev in Shangahi, but also against chair umpire Fergus Murphy. The clash began at the start of the second set after Murphy warned the Greek for exceeding the time limit. 

The 26-year-old could not understand this decision and complained: "Why are you all against me? You have to show some understanding. Tennis is a physical sport, we don't throw darts". This eventually developed into an argument between Murphy and Tsitsipas. In the end, the head umpire had to enter the court and calm the situation down. 

There is no calm
An endeavor that was only briefly successful. After losing another game, Tsitsipas attacked Murphy again: "You've never played tennis in your life," he raged at the umpire, who replied: "I have. 

Tsitsipas followed up: "You don't know anything about tennis, it seems" and received the reply: "I'm not as good as you, but I have played tennis." Murphy's counterattack made the Greek rage even more: "You definitely have no stamina. You probably play serve-and-volley on every single ball." 

Murphy refrained from replying and the situation calmed down until the grand finale. After Tsitsipas ultimately lost the match against Medvedev, he turned to Murphy again and venomously said: "I hope you get fired!" Statements that not only caused head-shaking in the tennis world.