Watch: Tennis player disqualified for hitting referee with ball in face

Mark Polmans is not the first player to hit a tennis official with the ball. Photo: Getty Images/Andy Cheung

Australian tennis player Mark Polmans was disqualified from the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday for hitting an umpire in the face with a ball.

Pohlmans, ranked 140th in the world, was in one point from qualifying for the tournament. Main draw of the Shanghai Masters tournament when the incident occurred.

He won the first set 7–6 and led 6–5 in the second set tiebreak with match point on the line, but scored a goal. Instead of regrouping, he saw red and smashed the ball in anger. At the same time, he accidentally hit the judge in the face at speed and from close range, as he was standing only four meters from the chair.

Mark Polmans was disqualified from qualifying in Shanghai for hitting the referee with the ball.

He had match point and hit the ball in anger.

The ball hit the referee at a very fast pace.

Immediately disqualified.

Wow!

pic.twitter.com/rkQgSPDOMj

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 3, 2023

Polmans, 26, immediately approached the umpire, to check his condition, but was immediately disqualified due to a dangerous outburst. His Italian opponent, Stefano Napolitano, instead qualified for the main draw of the ATP Masters 1000.

The ATP rule book states that «players must not hit, kick or throw a tennis ball violently, dangerously or in anger.» while on tournament grounds,” and ball abuse includes “intentionally or carelessly hitting the ball without regard for the consequences.” A violation of unsportsmanlike conduct automatically results in default in cases where a person is harmed in the process.

On Twitter, Polmans' compatriot and former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios reacted by speculating how much he would be fined. “Curious to see what the fine will be,” Kyrgios wrote, along with a laughing emoji. «All things considered (£15,000) for shaking a bottle in Queens,» he added, referring to the £13,000 fine he received in 2018 at the Queen's Club in London for inappropriate behavior with a bottle of water.

‌Kyrgios is no stranger to increasing fines, and previous incidents similar to Polmans' have occurred throughout the tour.

In 2017, Denis Shapovalov was declared ineligible and fined $7,000 for accidentally hitting an umpire at the British Davis Cup. defeating Canada in a temper tantrum similar to Pohlmann's.

Novak Djokovic famously became the fifth player ever to fail to crash out of a major US Open in 2020 when he hit the ball to the linesman's line. throat by accident during the fourth round match. He was stripped of the $250,000 in prize money he had earned up to that point, as well as ranking points, and fined $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Earlier this year, Japanese doubles player Miyu Kato did not participate in the French Open. for hitting a girl in the neck with a ball. Although most felt the punishment was harsh because Kato passed the ball back to the ball-handler rather than reacting with disappointment, her appeal was still rejected and she lost ranking points for reaching the third round as well as prize money due to Grand Slam rules.< /p>