Jerzy Janowicz had a meltdown during the Australian Open after what he thought was a bad call, and, in the ensuing tantrum, the Polish tennis pro ended up shouting at the umpire.
In a match against Indian player Somdev Devvarman, Janowicz disagreed with an umpire who called a shot from his opponent in during a crucial tie-break. The Janowicz meltdown that followed saw the Polish player drop his racquet and fall to his knees as he repeatedly screamed “How many times!”
Janowicz’s meltdown continued after he picked himself up from the ground. He advanced toward Croatian umpire Marika Cicak, yelling “No fun to play like this!”
The 24th seed in the Australian Open, Jerzy Janowicz hit the umpire’s chair with his racket during the tantrum and threw his water bottle across the court, Reuters noted.
While tennis players are often able to challenge calls, the Daily Telegraph noted that Janowicz’s set was taking place on an outside court that didn’t have access to Hawk-Eye technology.
When the Janowicz meltdown ended and play finally resumed, the Polish player lost the tie-break and then the following set. During the changeover, Janowicz continued to make his case to Cicak, who had already given him a warning for unsportsman like conduct.
The match continued, with Janowicz fighting through 88 unforced errors throughout the match while falling back on his strong serve and forehand.
Not long after the Janowicz meltdown, the Polish player found himself on his knees again. This time, however, it was in joy and relief after winning an epic 78-minute match, 6-7 (10-12), 3-6, 6-1, 6-0, 7-5.
