In a dramatic turn of events at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov was defaulted from his quarterfinal match against Ben Shelton. The incident occurred during a tense moment when Shapovalov, trailing by a set and facing match point in the second-set tiebreaker, lost his composure after missing a backhand shot. Frustrated, he threw his racquet to the ground and engaged in a verbal altercation with a spectator.
The exchange, which included inappropriate language, led to a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct. The chair umpire, after consulting with an ATP supervisor, decided to default Shapovalov, ending the match abruptly. This decision was met with mixed reactions from the crowd and players alike. Shapovalov argued that he was provoked by the spectator, while Shelton expressed his discomfort with winning under such circumstances.
This default marks the second time Shapovalov has faced disqualification in his career, the first being in 2017 during a Davis Cup match where he accidentally struck an umpire with a ball. The incident in Washington has sparked discussions about player conduct and the enforcement of rules in professional tennis.
Despite the controversy, the tournament continued, with Shelton advancing to the semifinals. Shapovalov’s default means he will not receive any prize money or ranking points for the week, adding to the consequences of his outburst. The incident serves as a reminder of the high stakes and intense emotions that can arise in competitive sports, highlighting the importance of maintaining composure under pressure.
Supervisor called on court on match point at the Shelton vs Shapovalov match. Shapo says: No need to call the supervisors, just give me a warning which the umpire did already. pic.twitter.com/dPH9Jbln84
— edgeAI (@edgeaiofficial) August 2, 2024
Denis Shapovalov in 2024
LWWWWWWWLW Now ranked no.139, Denis played his last match on the 2nd of August when he had to retire when playing against world no.14 Ben Shelton in the quarter and the scoreline was 7-6(5) 6-6 .
This season Denis has an overall 17-19 record.
Shelton in Washington, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.14 (career-high), Shelton has a compiled 26-16 win-loss record in 2024. The American is now having a run in Washington where he beat the world no.152 Radu Albot 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3, the world no.54 Brandon Nakashima 7-6(5) 7-6(4) and the world no.139 Denis Shapovalov 7-6(5) 6-6 ret..
Ben Shelton will square off with the world no.48 Flavio Cobolli in the semifinal. Their actual head to head record is 1-0 for Cobolli.
Ben conquered 1 title in 2024 in Houston.
Denis Shapovalov and Ben Shelton faced off just 2 times. Their current head to head is 2-0 for Shelton. Previously, the last time they squared off, Ben Shelton won 7-6(5) 6-6 ret. in the quarter in Washington (Citi Open) on the 2nd of August 2024.
