SUMMARY
- Andy Murray took on Denis Shapovalov in Dubai and overturned three of the umpire's wrong calls.
- Fans were disappointed with the match official, and Murray was in disbelief too.
The ATP tour is currently in the Middle East, and as entertaining as the matches have been, the umpiring has not been on par. As Andy Murray took on Denis Shapovalov in Dubai, Pierre Bacchi, the match official, drew the ire of fans.
Murray locked horns with Shapovalov in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships. It was a closely fought game, with Murray giving his best to overcome his opponent. There were several talking points, one of which was Bacchi’s poor umpiring. The tense encounter saw Murray overturn his call not less than three times!
By the third time Andy overturned Bacchi’s decision, the player was in disbelief himself. The match official, however, shrugged it off nonchalantly.
Eagle-eyed @andy_murray 👀
Murray wins 3 correct challenges in 3 points 🙋♂️#DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/ghA8sKP8Sj
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 26, 2024
The first time Murray challenged the call was in the second set after Shapovalov had claimed the opener. The line judge called his serve out when the ball had landed on the line. It happened again as Andy fired a serve down the line. As Denis played a return shot, the ball dropped outside the baseline, and Murray got his challenge right once again.
Fans were unhappy with Bacchi. As users took to social media to express their disappointment, one fan brought up his argument with Coco Gauff. “Same awful umpire from the Gauff match,” they wrote. Here are a few reactions to the incident.
The line judges in Dubai https://t.co/stNdPNOsBt pic.twitter.com/1hVRvJFPwP
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 26, 2024
that same awful umpire from the Gauff match
— denbote (@denbotephoto) February 26, 2024
The umpire looks like he’s just sitting on a bench in the park. Couldn’t care less.
— Rik Wallant (@Wall_Ant_11899) February 26, 2024
Andy Murray went on to win the riveting match, as he defeated Shapovalov 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3. He notched up his second win of the season, and in doing so, he hit a special milestone.
Andy Murray reached a special milestone in Dubai
Murray is one of the most prolific tennis players of all time. He has broken and created several records in his career, and he has reached the pinnacle of success. In Dubai, Murray etched his name in history, by joining a very exclusive club.
Murray’s win over Shapovalov marked his 500th tour-level win on hard courts. He joined the likes of Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal.
Andy Murray joins a VERY exclusive club 👏 pic.twitter.com/DRYRj74PgV
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 26, 2024
Andy Murray has not had the best time on the court of late, with rumors about his retirement picking up speed. Regardless, he will try to keep up this winning momentum.
