Tensions flared at the US Open! 🔥 Stefanos Tsitsipas was NOT happy after Daniel Altmaier sealed their match with an underarm serve. The handshake was anything but friendly. What’s your take on underarm serves in professional tennis – fair play or disrespectful?
Stefanos Tsitsipas’s journey at the US Open came to a contentious end in the second round, marked by a fiery confrontation with his opponent, Daniel Altmaier. The flashpoint occurred when Altmaier deployed an underarm serve to seal their five-set thriller, a move that visibly infuriated the Greek tennis star and sparked a dramatic post-match handshake.
The intensity of their encounter culminated in a direct and heated exchange at the net. Following his defeat, a visibly frustrated Tsitsipas wasted no time in confronting Altmaier regarding the unconventional serve that concluded their grueling match, underscoring the high stakes and emotional toll of the competition.
During the highly charged moment, Tsitsipas delivered a stern warning to Altmaier. “Next time, don’t wonder why I hit you, OK? No, I’m just saying if you serve underarm … if you serve underarm,” he stated, his words underscoring the profound disapproval and perceived disrespect emanating from the controversial tactic.
Daniel Altmaier, however, offered a contrasting perspective on the incident. The German player suggested that Tsitsipas would later regret his words, attributing the heated emotions to the late-night match and the immense pressure of “a lot of money and pride being at stake,” ultimately asserting that such moments are an inherent part of professional sports.
The match itself was a grueling five-set battle at Flushing Meadows, with Altmaier ultimately prevailing with a scoreline of 7-6, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. This intense struggle further amplified the tension that boiled over in the match’s decisive moments, contributing to the post-game drama.
Adding to Tsitsipas’s challenging day, his father, Apostolos, received a warning for coaching during the match. This incident marked a notable moment under the new ITF rules, which permit brief, discreet verbal advice or hand signals from a coach only during breaks, not during active play, highlighting the Greek’s non-compliance.
Overall, for a player like Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been striving to maintain his position among the elite in men’s tennis, this contentious exit from the US Open, coupled with the on-court reprimand, represented a deeply challenging and less than ideal conclusion to his tournament campaign.
