Frances Tiafoe insults the referee in Shanghai and risks a heavy suspension

« Fuck you man ! » Furious at the end of his third round match against Roman Safiullin this Tuesday in Shanghai, Frances Tiafoe attacked the referee verbally and violently. Beaten 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, the 17th in the world did not at all appreciate the sanction imposed on him by the referee at 5-5 in the decisive game of the third set. As he returned to his baseline to serve, but first appeared to empty the ball into the air before committing his first serve, the American was penalized for exceeding time. As it was not the first time in the match, the referee then punished him by taking away his first service ball, forcing Tiafoe to serve a second ball. Exasperated, Tiafoe lost the next point, which offered a match point to Safiullin, converted on an ace by the Russian, and provoked the wrath of the American.