Explained: What happened in Dubai in the Andrey Rublev episode?

Andrey Rublev, the World No. 5, forfeited a semi-final match on Friday against Alexander Bublik in Dubai. The Russian player was reported for an angry tirade at a line umpire. The default gifted Bublik the place in the final. Ugo Humbert would go on to beat Bublik 6-4, 6-3 in the final on Saturday.

What did Rublev say?

In the deciding set between Rublev and Bublik, it was the latter who argued with chair umpire Miriam Bley over the timing of the introduction of new balls.

Bublik received a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct for using obscene language.

However, it was the Russian Rublev who lost his cool at 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-5, angrily yelling in the face of a line umpire. Another line umpire would get up and notify the chair umpire that the second seed swore at his colleague in Russian.

However, Rublev remained adamant he was speaking in English and that he did not use any foul language. The line umpire stuck to his version and the 26-year-old was defaulted from the match.

Kazakhstan’s Bublik, meanwhile, tried to convince Bley and the ATP supervisor Roland Herfel to let the match continue. The officials though didn’t budge and the match was over.

As is the rule with defaults, Rublev was docked his ranking points and prize money for the surge to the semi-finals. It pushed him out of the top-5 in ATP Rankings.

The Russian, though, decided to appeal the punishment handed out to him.

Rublev appealed. What happened next?

Rublev initially lost all of his prize money of $157,755 and 200 rankings points for a semi-final exit.

In the assessment of the incident later, the ATP ruled that the “customary penalties associated with a default … would be disproportionate in this case."

“The appeal process took into consideration testimonies from the player, officials, as well as a review of all available video and audio materials,” the tour said.

The ATP said Rublev would still be docked $36,400 for the code violation he was issued by the chair umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct.

How has Rublev reacted since?

In a social media post, Rublev thanked the appeals committee for the decision and added that he wants the ATP to consider altering the rule that led to his disqualification.

“I hope that in the future, the ATP will take a closer look at this rule and make changes to it, so that an official can’t force a match outcome without having clear evidence and not letting the player have a video review,” said Rublev.

It ended with: “I promise I will learn from this and will try to be a better player and better person.”

What has been the reaction?

Spanish player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, a quarter-finalist in Dubai, described the sanction as “shameful”.

“Very unfair that they disqualify Rublev without first ensuring that what the line judge understood is correct,” the World No 24 wrote in X.

“That rule should be reviewed and changed. Shameful. We need VAR in tennis,” he added.