Australian Open 2023: American Alison Riske-Amritraj blows up in doubles match

An American has fired up over a bizarre decision at the Australian Open, labelling incidents like this ‘poor sportsmanship and cheating’.

Jeremy Chardy. Picture: AFP

Fiery American Alison Riske-Amritraj has revealed she received an apology in the wake of her doubles tirade at an umpire, but doubled-down on her assertion that her opponent was in the wrong.

Riske-Amritraj hit out for the second time in as many days on Saturday, in a bid to highlight what she called “poor sportsmanship and cheating”.

The American launched a take-down at the chair umpire in her doubles clash with Linda Fruhvitova against Natela Dzalamidze and Alexandra Panova, after she believed she had hit her opponent with the ball.

Her opponent didn’t volunteer any contact, and chair umpire Nico Helwerth didn’t agree with Riske, prompting a blow-up from the American.

“That’s f … ing ridiculous … is he sleeping?,” she fumed to a supervisor.

Riske said on Saturday that she was “passionate about helping tennis’ future”.

“She (the opponent) should have called it on herself & the umpire apologised for his

incorrect ruling after, which I accepted,” Riske said.

“Poor sportsmanship and cheating happens all the time, especially at the junior level. Parents/players spend too much time, money & mental energy for that experience.

“As you can tell, I am extremely passionate about helping tennis’ future here. If you’re working on a compelling piece of line calling or VAR tech and need help funding/scaling please DM me.”

Alison Riske-Amritraj has blown up over an incident at the Australian Open. Picture: AAP/Michael Dodge

FIERY BLOW-UP OVER ‘WORST RULE IN TENNIS’

- Sam Landsberger

Fresh calls have surfaced for chair umpires to be fined after a blatant error cost Jeremy Chardy a break of serve during his second-round loss on Thursday.

Five years after Novak Djokovic declared “officials … should get fined if they make a big mistake that changes the course of the match” the issue was put back on the map by the fiery Frenchman.

A ball dropped out of Chardy’s pocket mid-rally and two shots later he missed a forehand as the point stayed alive because chair umpire Miriam Bley did not notice the second ball bouncing behind the baseline.

Rules clearly state that Bley should’ve called a ‘let’ but replays showed her head had turned to opponent Daniel Evans’ side of the court by the time the second ball had left Chardy’s pocket.

Evans dubbed it the “worst rule in tennis” and said players should automatically lose the point when a ball falls from their pocket.

But after losing his serve, Chardy gave her a serve.

Jeremy Chardy gave chair umpire Miriam Bley a serve. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

“In my life, 20 years I’ve never had one umpire bad like you,” Chardy said on-court.

“We play with someone who cannot umpire.

“Where are you looking? You looking at the birds? The clouds? It’s the biggest mistake of the Australian Open.”

The delay lasted almost 10 minutes as Chardy called for the supervisor.

The 35-year-old smiled and laughed as he entered his post-match press conference – which was upgraded to a larger room and packed with 15 journalists – knowing a barrage of umpire questions were coming.

He was prepared.

“It’s a big mistake from the umpire,” Chardy said after the 6-4 6-4 6-1 loss.

“I hit the forehand, and the ball dropped from my pocket. He hit the backhand, and I hit another forehand before she realised the ball fall from my pocket. I still lose a point.

“So, yeah, I was angry because she should stop straightaway, and she says she didn’t even see the ball.

Chardy doubled down at his press conference. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“I don’t know what she’s doing because she doesn’t call in or out.

“She just called the score, and if she doesn’t watch the point, I don’t know why she’s on the chair.

“So I was pissed, and I was even more pissed when she didn’t tell me she made the mistake.”

Last year men’s players were fined more than $125,000 – including a $17,000 (AUD) semi-final slap for Daniil Medvedev – and Chardy called for umpires to be hit in the pocket too.

“If I miss a point, then break my racquet, I will get fined. You (umpires) can do a huge mistake, and nothing will happen to you,” he said.

“Has to be the same for both, no? If I break my racquet because I’m pissed, why I should have a sanction and not her? For me it’s not fair.”

Originally published as Australian Open 2023: American Alison Riske-Amritraj blows up in doubles match