Denis Shapovalov has spoken out following his default from the quarterfinals of the Mubadala Citi DC Open, calling on the ATP to protect players from fan abuse. Shapovalov, who was trailing Ben Shelton 6-3 in the second-set tiebreaker when he was defaulted for unsportsmanlike conduct, expressed his shock and disappointment in a statement posted on his social media accounts.
“I would like to thank you for standing by my side through these last few days,” Shapovalov wrote. “As you can imagine, it’s been an extremely stressful time for me. I continue to feel shocked and disappointed over the decision to disqualify me from my match against Ben in Washington. It was not fair to me, him, or anyone that was there to watch the match.”
Shapovalov was issued a code violation for allegedly swearing at a spectator, leading to the tournament supervisor’s decision to default him from the match. Despite the default, Shapovalov successfully appealed to the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), which ruled that he would retain the points and prize money earned from his performance in Washington, D.C., although he still faces a $36,400 fine. This decision allowed him to move up 30 spots in the rankings to No. 106.
“I am pleased and thankful with the quick decision to reinstate my points and prize money,” Shapovalov stated. “I must state, however, that I do not agree with the hefty fine I was given, which is more than half the prize money earned last week, and will continue to fight that.”
The 25-year-old also urged the ATP to implement better rules to protect players from abusive fans. “We all work extremely hard—our tennis careers are our lives and should not be derailed by unnecessary, subjective ruling. I also hope the ATP can put better rules in place for protecting players from abusive fans.”
Shapovalov expressed gratitude for the support from fans and fellow players and announced that he will return to the court for his home tournament, the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montréal.
Denis Shapovalov in 2024
LWWWLLWWLW Ranked world no.106, the Canadian played his last match on the 2nd of August when he was defeated by world no.14 Ben Shelton 7-6(5) 6-6 def. in the quarter in Washington (draw).
This season Shapovalov owns a compiled 17-19 win-loss record.
Denis Shapovalov will play the world no.52 Brandon Nakashima in the 1st round. Their current head to head is 1-1.
He is also scheduled to play at the U.S. Open (U.S. Open). The main draw will start on the 26th of August.
Denis Shapovalov |
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