There was a bizarre pause in play during Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s clash with Andrey Rublev in Barcelona, when the Spaniard’s racket was taken away during a changeover. The pair had played just three games with Rublev leading 2-1 on serve when they sat at their benches for the change of ends.
But Davidovich Fokina could not get up and continue, as the racket he had been using was taken away by a ball girl who thought he needed it to be restrung. The umpire was left racing to get the racket back before the strings were removed, sending messages on a walkie-talkie as the players waited on court.
Davidovich Fokina had requested that another racket be restrung for use later in the match. But a miscommunication delayed the round-of-16 match.
The world No. 30 rested the stick he was using on his bench when he sat down for the first changeover. And a member of staff believed it was the one Davidovich Fokina wanted to send off, taking it away from the centre court.
When Davidovich Fokina got up to resume the match, he realised it was gone, and chair umpire Manuel Messina scrambled to retrieve it.
“Andrey, the girl by mistake, she took the other racket to the stringer, the one he’s using for playing, so we just need to bring it back. She’s coming back with the right racket,” the official told Rublev.
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