French tennis star Arthur Rinderknech progressed to the second round of the Shanghai Masters 1000 event after claiming he was ‘going to go nuts’ on the court. Rinderknech met Serbian Hamad Medjedovic in the first round of the tournament in Asia and the tension was frosty throughout.
Rinderknech took exception with his opponent after they called for several timeouts in the opening set. After seven games played, Medjedovic called for treatment to attend to blisters.
With the Serb then leading 5-4, he left the court to change his shirt due to the sweat which had accumulated due to the high heat in Shanghai. While his opponent was changing in the dressing room, Rinderknech took the opportunity to remonstrate with the on-court umpire.
“You allow him to do what he wants,” Rinderknech could be heard saying on the on-court microphone. “I’m going to go nuts. I swear, now everything will have to be right on time. Every time, every second.
“Where is he changing? In the hotel? You’re crazy, this is against the rules.” Rinderknech was then approached by the tournament organiser where he continued his rant.
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“He can do whatever he wants, already I am getting broken because he takes an extra two minutes on my serve,” the Frenchman continued before being told his opponent was changing due to the sweat on the court making play dangerous. “Show me where the court is wet,” he asked.
“Our feet are going to remain wet, that is not going to change. He can go change before he is about to serve, not when I am serving.
“That’s the rules. That’s the rules and he [pointing at the umpire] knows it. This is against the rules.” After this fiery exchange, Rinderknech went on to lose the first set on a tiebreak 6-7 (3-7).
After managing to win the first set, Medjedovic decided that he could not continue after being broken in the opening game of the second set and he retired injured. As the pair shook hands at the net, the tension between the two stars increased further.
The Serb could be heard saying at the net: “How old are you? I have more respect than you.” Rinderknech, who reached the fourth round of the US Open this year before losing to eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz, shall return to the Shanghai court on Saturday when he faces 28th seed American Alex Michelsen.
