Davis Cup: Tiafoe freaks out - penalty point on match point
Curious ending to the encounter between Frances Tiafoe and Tallon Griekspoor in the Davis Cup intermediate round in Split: The American received a penalty point on match point.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Sep 15, 2023, 08:57 am
For the second time in a row, the Netherlands defeated the USA in the Davis Cup intermediate round - and again Botic van de Zandschulp and Tallon Griekspoor were the ones who got the necessary points with their individual victories. This time in Split. Griekspoor achieved his victory under special circumstances: opponent Frances Tiafoe received a penalty point on match point for the Dutchman because he had destroyed a racket out of anger.
What happened?
Griekspoor was serving at 5-2 in the tiebreak of the third set, but the ball was given out by a linesman. Griekspoor took a challenge - and it turned out that the ball was on the line. The referee decided on the point for the Dutchman, making it 6:2. What Frances Tiafoe didn't want to and couldn't leave. The American argued that the out-call came before he had even hit the ball. But this was rejected by both the chair referee and the supervisor.
Whereupon Tiafoe smashed a bat. And consequently earned a penalty point. Game, Set, Match Netherlands. After Tommy Paul had also lost against Botic van de Zandschulp, this already meant victory for the outsiders. The USA still has a chance of reaching the quarterfinals in Malaga. To do this, the Finns have to be beaten in the last match.