French tennis player Terence Atmane was left stunned after he was given a point penalty due to a time violation on match point, resulting in his bizarre exit from the Mexican Open in Acapulco and a straight-sets loss to Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic.
The 24-year-old Atmane was struggling with illness during the quarter-final match and had earlier received a warning from chair umpire Scottie Moore for taking too much time in between points while he retrieved his court-side towel.
Atmane told the chair umpire that he had been sick through the night, in response to being asked to play at a quicker pace, and said earlier in the second set: "I'm sweating like crazy. Like relax, give me five seconds okay?”
Kecmanovic had his fourth match point, serving at 6-3 5-3, and was ready to serve when Atmane again went towards his towel box. The umpire said “he’s ready” to Kecmanovic - to which Atmane replied, “I’m not”.
The umpire then called for a point penalty for Atmane, before announcing to the crowd that the match was over and Kecmanovic had won. Atmane remained rooted to the spot in disbelief, before Kecmanovic came to the other side of the court to shake hands.
Under the ATP’s rules, players are have 25 seconds between points and the chair umpire starts the shot clock at the end of the previous point.
Atmane had also reported feeling unwell after calling for a treatment after the third game of the second set, telling the trainer “I'm sick, I'm trembling and sweating a lot”.
