Stefanos Tsitsipas had an intense outburst against the umpire while Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz secured victories

Stefanos Tsitsipas launched an unbelievable rant at tennis umpire Fergus Murphy during the Shanghai Masters, an incident that unfolded the day after Frances Tiafoe ignited controversy with an expletive-laden tirade directed at the officiating during the same event. The drama unfolded as Tsitsipas faced off against fifth-ranked Daniil Medvedev, competing for a place in the prestigious quarter-finals of the Masters 1000 event. In a closely contested match, Tsitsipas ultimately lost to Medvedev with a score of 7-6 (3) 6-3.

The incident that triggered Tsitsipas’s outburst came after he was handed a time violation, resulting in him losing a critical serve to his opponent. This ruling echoed Tiafoe’s plight from the previous match, where he similarly faced consequences for time violations, leading to his defeat against Roman Safiullin, officiated by Ecuadorian chair umpire Jimmy Pinoargote. Tsitsipas, visibly frustrated, engaged in a bizarre argument with the Irish umpire Fergus Murphy and refused to serve during the subsequent game for an extended period, which added further tension to the high-stakes match.

In other matches at the Shanghai Masters, Jannik Sinner managed to avenge his prior defeat to Ben Shelton in last year’s fourth round with a decisive 6-4, 7-6 (1) victory, marking a significant milestone as it occurred on Shelton’s birthday. Additionally, Carlos Alcaraz, currently ranked second, maintained his winning streak with an impressive 6-4, 7-5 victory over French veteran Gael Monfils, pushing his consecutive wins to 12 after triumphing at the China Open just a week prior against Sinner.

On the same eventful Wednesday, the legendary Novak Djokovic continued his quest for a remarkable 100th career title, set to face 61st-ranked Safiullin. The atmosphere remained charged as third-ranked Alexander Zverev prepared to take on Belgium’s David Goffin, while seventh-ranked Taylor Fritz geared up for a match against Holger Rune from Denmark. As the tournament progressed, fans and players alike eagerly anticipated the unfolding action.