Térence Atmane was denied help when he needed it most.
As the Frenchman led by two sets and a break against Spain’s Jaume Munar in the first round of the U.S. Open on Sunday, he suddenly froze and gripped his upper right leg before hobbling around the baseline. He went on to call a trainer and received treatment on his leg.
However, he wasn’t shown the same grace in the deciding fifth set.
As Munar served while up 2-1 in the frame, Atmane was overcome with leg issues again and called for a trainer.
After the trainer’s evaluation of Atmane, he declined to treat him and that led to a heated scene on Court 13.
“Excuse me, can you please give me treatment and stop acting stupid? Is it possible to have some common sense?” Atmane argued to the trainer.
The 24-year-old continued to insist that he was enduring “pain” not a “cramp” multiples times, yet the trianer still refused aid.
“Stop acting stupid and treat me, I have pain, p-a-i-n,” Atmane said.
Medical timeouts are not permitted for cramps. Rather, treatment is limited to three changeovers maximum, each for a 60 second visit. Yet, the rule surrounding the evaluation to distinguish between muscle injuries and cramps is subjective.
Trainers have to respond to what the particular player tells them. At times, players aren’t aware of what their injury is, or, regarding cramps, whether or not they actually have an injury. Thus, it makes for a nearly impossible consistent ruling that often leaves players and fans confused.
Players are allowed to treat cramps at three changeovers maximum, each of which lasts for a 60-second sitdown.
As the trainer left, Atmane called him back to his bench and asked for his credential and his name.
The trainer declined to reveal himself.
A similar incident unfolded in a match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open semifinals this year when the Spaniard cramped up and received treatment for what he believed was a muscle injury.
“He has cramps. What else should it be? This is absolute bulls–t. That is unbelievable. That can not be. You can not be serious,” Zverev said in German to the match supervisor, per The Athletic.
Alcaraz, who went on to win the match in five sets and take the tournament to complete a career Grand Slam, said the feeling was on a “specific muscle” and he didn’t “think it was cramp.”
The fifth set treatment attempt was a last ditch effort for Atmane, who had to resort to underhand serving during the third set given how much pain he was in.
He later lost his first serve midway through the third set after taking more than 25 seconds to serve.
Munar also complained that Atmane was having full two-way conversations multiple times with his team, which is not allowed during play.
“I just want you to apply the rules,” Munar told the chair umpire.
Munar went on to win the match in a 6-7(5), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(4), 7-5 comeback. He will have two days off before facing No. 26 Arthur Rinderknech.
