CELEBRITY
Same awful umpire from Coco Gauff’s match” “Time for this umpire to be fired” – Andy Murray overturning 3 calls in one game in Dubai shocks fans
Tennis fans were thoroughly disappointed with the umpiring during Andy Murray’s first-round match at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships. Their disappointment was especially pronounced as the umpire in question was recently involved in a controversial dispute with Coco Gauff.
Murray kicked off his campaign at the ATP 500 event with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Denis Shapovalov. In doing so, he recorded his 500th tour-level win on hardcourts, joining the ranks of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi, and Rafael Nadal as the only five players to achieve the feat in the Open Era.
The clash garnered attention for more than just the riveting battle between the duo, as the start of the second set saw Andy Murray successfully challenge three calls in as many points. The Brit appeared to be in disbelief himself as he looked toward the chair umpire after his third correct challenge. But the chair umpire seemingly shrugged nonchalantly.
Tennis fans expressed dismay at the chair umpire, Pierre Bacchi, for not overturning the linemans’ calls on his own without the Brit’s challenges. With Bacchi recently earning fans’ ire for refusing Coco Gauff’s repeated requests to summon the supervisor during her third-round clash in Dubai, his umpiring in Murray’s match only added to their frustration.
“The famous Coco umpire he still got a job!,” a fan commented.
One fan even called for Bacchi to be fired from his position as chair umpire.
“It’s time for this umpire to be fired,” the fan posted.