Shapovalov Breaks Silence on DC Open Default, Calls for Better Fan Protection
Denis Shapovalov, the former world No. 10, has broken his silence after being defaulted from the quarterfinals of the Mubadala Citi DC Open on Friday. In a statement posted to his social media accounts, Shapovalov expressed his shock and disappointment over the decision, which he believes was unfair.
Shapovalov was match point down, trailing Ben Shelton 6-3 in the second-set tiebreaker, when he was issued a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct. The tournament supervisor was called to court and the decision was made to default the 25-year-old from the match.
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) later ruled that Shapovalov would retain the points and prize money earned from his week in Washington, D.C., but would have to pay a $36,400 fine. Shapovalov expressed his gratitude for the reinstatement of his points and prize money but disagreed with the hefty fine.
“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,” Shapovalov wrote.
Shapovalov also called for 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,” he said.
Despite the disappointment of the default, Shapovalov thanked his fans and fellow players for their support. He will be back on court for his home tournament, the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montréal.