No matter how long you have been watching tennis, there is no way you have seen anything quite like what transpired in Sunday’s French Open fourth-round match between Hubert Hurkacz and Grigor Dimitrov.
At the 6-5 changeover in the third set, Hurkacz–who had argued a call while Dimitrov was serving at 4-5–proposed removing the chair umpire. That’s right; the eighth-ranked Pole casually asked Dimitrov if he wanted to change chair umpires right then and there in the middle of the match.
Hurkacz: “G, you wanna make a change? Or you want to continue with the lady here?”
Dimitrov: “Want to continue with what?”
Hurkacz: “I mean if you want to continue with the lady here, or you’re fine, or you wanna change. That’s what I’m saying. Up to you.”
Dimitrov: “Change what?”
Hurkacz: “Change the lady–the chair umpire.”
Dimitrov: “Honestly, it’s whatever you want.”
Hurkacz’s rage stemmed from an out call during the eighth game of the third set, when Dimitrov stopped play to circle a mark at the far sideline. Chair umpire Alison Hughes confirmed that the mark was out–as did Hawkeye.
Needless to say, there was no change in the chair. Dimitrov went on to win the match about 10 minutes later, prevailing 7-6(5), 6-4, 7-6(3).
