In Washington, a disqualification that makes people sit up and take notice!
Do referees find it easier to penalize some players than others?
Not necessarily, but what is certain is that some fans are likely to start thinking about it.
While all attention is focused on the Olympic Games this week, an ATP tournament is taking place at the same time, in Washington.
And last night, something quite remarkable happened. During the quarter-final match between Ben Shelton and Denis Shapovalov, the Canadian was disqualified after throwing a racket and making a few, probably insulting remarks to an American spectator (7-6, 6-6).
The penalty was accompanied by a withdrawal of the prize money and ATP points earned by Shapovalov during the tournament. A decision with far-reaching consequences, especially when you remember that Medvedev received no sanction when he attacked the referee in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Every case is different and referees do what they feel is right, but it would not be surprising if some saw this decision as a double standard.
