Paris (AFP)
Andrey Rublev said he wants the ATP to "take a closer look" at the rules regarding disqualification after his prize money and ranking points from the tournament in Dubai were restored.
On Monday, the ATP announced that Rublev would not lose his earnings and ranking points from reaching the Dubai semi-finals last month. He was kicked out of the tournament for abusing a line judge during his last-four match against Alexander Bublik, with another line judge accusing Rublev of swearing at his colleague in Russian.
Rublev insisted he was speaking in English and that he did not use any foul language but he was defaulted. However, an appeal resulted in the ATP downgrading his punishment, even though the initial fine amount for behavioural misconduct of €36,400 stood.
"The appeals committee concluded that, beyond forfeiting the match, customary penalties associated with a default – namely loss of rankings points and prize money for the entire tournament – would be disproportionate in this case," the ATP said in a statement.
Andrey Rublev is defaulted from the Dubai semi-final, sending Alexander Bublik through to the #DDFTennis final pic.twitter.com/tclfcXxDYY
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 1, 2024
Rublev, the 26-year-old Russian who is ranked fifth in the world, was playing Bublik in the semi-finals when, with the score knotted at 5-5 in the third set, Rublev yelled at a line judge he felt had missed a call on a crucial point.
Rublev's face was inches away from line judge, who remained stoic. Another line judge approached the chair umpire to report that Rublev had used an expletive when he addressed the line judge he thought had missed the call. That intervening line judge claimed to be a Russian speaker.
The chair umpire brought out the tournament supervisor, who quickly decided to default Rublev from the match, ignoring Rublev's denial that he had used an obscenity and his requests to listen to a tape of the confrontation.
Rublev has now said he wanted the rules to be changed. "I hope that in the future, the ATP will take a closer look at this rule and make changes to it, so that an official can't force a match outcome without having clear evidence and not letting the player have a video review," he said in a post on X.
Keeping his ranking points ensured Rublev would stay in the top five in the ATP rankings ahead of world No.6 Alexander Zverev.
Andrey Rublev has a pattern of this kind of behavior.
— LavanyaSingerDinesh🌺 (@LavanyaVocalNEW) March 2, 2024
pic.twitter.com/11BUGcNyCY
This was Rublev a few months ago in Shanghai aimed towards an accredited ATP photographer.
— Pavvy G (@pavyg) March 1, 2024
I actually think this was arguably more intimidating then what he did today? pic.twitter.com/YhTIEueKSi