Canada's Denis Shapovalov has accused chair umpire Carlos Bernardes of corruption during his Australian Open quarter final against Rafael Nadal.
Shapovalov dropped the first set 6-3 and appeared frustrated at the start of the second, taking issue with Nadal's pace of play.
The pace of the match is controlled by the server and when the 20-time Grand Slam winner wasn't ready to begin the set on Shapovalov's serve, the Canadian made his frustration known.
"You started the clock so long ago, he's still not ready to play," Shapovalov told Bernardes.
"You've got to code [violation] him."
Although Nadal looked ready to receive after that complaint, Shapovalov then pulled away from another serve, asking Bernardes to "code him."
"For what?" the veteran umpire responded.
"He's not ready to play. Are you kidding me? You guys are all corrupt, you guys are all corrupt," Shapovalov said, appearing to suggest the tennis fraternity favours big-name players such as the Spaniard.
Take a look at the exchange below.
🗣️ "You guys are all corrupt!"
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 25, 2022
Denis Shapovalov has unloaded on the chair umpire in a stunning outburst on Rod Laver arena. 😳🤯#AusOpen - Live on Channel 9 and 9Now pic.twitter.com/BUdTxut1Fc
That wouldn't be the end of the drama.
Having won his service game to start the second set, Shapovalov held his arms out, waiting for Nadal's serve despite there being several left seconds on the shot clock.
The two players then met at the net, Nadal seemingly attempting to placate the 22-year-old's concerns.
"Shapovalov has no business putting his hands up in the air when there's time on the clock," Jim Courier said in commentary.
"If the clock is zero, then he should say, 'Bernardes, call it.' The frustration from the first set is bubbling over a little bit."
Shapovalov is aiming to equal his best performance in a major tournament, having made the semis at Wimbledon in 2021.
More to come.
