‘This is not right’: Star’s brainfade leads to chaotic Aus Open scenes

One of the wildest points you’re ever likely to see unfolded during the Australian Open, leaving two greats of the game in disbelief.

It’ll take some beating to come up with a more confusing point of tennis at this year’s Australian Open than the one that unfolded during the men’s doubles.

The fourth seeded doubles pairing of Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers secured the second set against German duo Dominik Koepfer and Yannick Hanfmann in the most bizarre scenes you’re ever likely to see.

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After dropping the first set tie-break to the unseeded German pair, Zeballos and Granollers tied things up at one-set apiece in a second set tie-break.

With a 6-3 advantage, Granollers’ serve was returned forcefully back at Zeballos at the net as the Argentinian got his racquet onto it.

His shot skied over the net, coming down just on the other side before it spun back over to Zeballos and Granollers’ side of the court.

And this is where the bizarre scenes kicked off.

Koepfer launched towards the net, running at full speed as he raced to get his racquet on the ball.

Knowing his efforts were going to be futile, Koepfer elected to toss his racquet at the ball and over the net.

As all of this was unfolding, Granollers had moved up to the net alongside his doubles partner and in a truly unthinkable moment … caught the ball in his hand before it had bounced.

Making the matter even more outrageous, the Argentinian and Spaniard were awarded the point and with it, the second set.

Koepfer rushing in before he tosses his racquet.

Granollers catches it in a bizarre brain fade.

Australian tennis greats Geoff Masters and John Fitzgerald simply couldn’t believe what they’d just seen unfold in front of their eyes.

“I’m bemused; I don’t (know) what happened there,” Masters said.

Fitzgerald added: “I don’t know what happened either,” before turning his attention onto the chair umpire for awarding the point to the fourth seeds.

“This is not right. This can’t be right,” Fitzgerald said.

“The ball’s gone over (the net), and Granollers grabs it. I mean, that’s not a set, that’s not a point.

“That is a big mistake by the umpire here. That is bizarre.”

Masters agreed: “Absolutely. That needs to be replayed somewhere for the chair to see because that was wrong.”

Fitzgerald said it was a “massive mistake” by the umpire.

“What we’ve just seen here is one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen on a tennis court,” he said.

Attempting to explain the umpire’s thinking, Masters noted that: “He (Koepfer) lost his racquet; I guess that’s the problem.”

“Yeah,” Fitzgerald responded, “but Granoller’s caught the ball. He caught his own team’s ball there.”

Tremendo error del juez de silla😳

Marcel Granollers🇪🇸 y Horacio Zeballos🇦🇷 se quedaron con un controversial punto

El español tocó la pelota luego de que esta volvió a su lado de la cancha cuando su compañero la había golpeado#AusOpen

pic.twitter.com/0xVzYOBUPW

— Iván Aguilar (@ivabianconero) January 22, 2024

Koepfer and Hanfmann quickly put the bizarre scenes behind them as they flipped the script on their highly-favoured rivals.

The unseeded duo raced away as they claimed the third round victory 7-6 6-7 6-4 to book their spot in the quarter-final stages.

They’ll line up against seventh seeded duo Hugo Nys and Jan Zieliński who endured a tough three set battle against Lloyd Glasspool and Jean-Julien Rojer.

They ultimately took the contest 3-6 6-4 7-6 to advance.

A spot in the semi-final stages awaits the victor when they square off on Wednesday.