Aussie Jordan Thompson fumes at inexplicable burn

AUSTRALIA’S Jordan Thompson lost his cool at the umpire after a tense moment saw him make a damning accusation.

Australian Open 2108 Day 2. Australian player Jordan Thompson Vs Nicolas Kicker. Picture: David Caird

AUSTRALIA’S Jordan Thompson lost his cool at the umpire after a tense moment in the fifth set against Nicolas Kicker from Argentina.

Down two sets to love, Thompson had fought his way back to square things up at two sets apiece.

He broke early in the deciding set to go up 2-0 and saved a game point when it was advantage Kicker.

He hit a deep forehand to Kicker’s backhand wing and the South American clunked his return into the net, only for the chair umpire to overrule and call Thompson’s shot out. The 22-year-old’s decision to challenge the call was vindicated when Hawkeye showed the ball was in.

But rather than claim the point and send the score back to deuce, the point was instead replayed because the umpire deemed Kicker’s backhand return was impacted by her out call and he didn’t make a full effort to get it back in play. Thompson was furious, going down on his haunches and putting his hands on his head in disbelief.

Jordan Thompson couldn’t believe it.

He believed Kicker didn’t have enough time to react to the umpire’s call because the ball was a half volley, meaning he must have played it on the assumption it was good. But the official saw it differently.

“He missed it,” Thompson complained. “It (the umpire’s call) was after he hit it. You guys never do your job. Never.”

The incident sparked a dramatic collapse from Thompson, who lost the replayed point and the next five straight games to go down 5-2 before losing 6-3 6-1 4-6 3-6 6-3.

Speaking after the match, Thompson was firm in his belief the point should have been his and believes tennis must come up with a way to fix such subjective interpretations.

“The way I saw it is he even gave up on that ball,” Thompson said. “He had no intention of making it, he thought it was going out too I reckon.

“I’m pretty sure the call was late and he didn’t even have to make the ball and we had to replay the point.

“It’s frustrating. It’s up to the umpire and it’s a real grey area — they’ve got to fix that.

“She (the umpire) said it affected his shot which obviously I didn’t think so … I’m pretty sure it was a late call.”