David Nalbandian hit out in the direction of tennis officials after losing in straight sets in the Wimbledon first round – but this time no physical damage was done.
The Argentinian was beaten 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 by Serbian eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic in his first match since being disqualified in the Queen’s final for destroying an advertising hoarding and wounding a line judge.
He then took aim at the ATP men’s tour and this time questioned umpires over-ruling line judges on crucial calls when modern technology can prove if a ball was in or out by millimetres.
“They never do mistakes at 15-all. All mistakes are in the deuce, the break points, very important moments. I don’t know why,” he said.
“Now technology helps everybody when it’s a very tight call, and still we’re having tricky points.”
Former Wimbledon finalist Nalbandian was asked whether umpires should over-rule line calls at all, given the availability of Hawk-Eye technology in tennis.
“They have to be very sure, 100 per cent. If they are not, let the players do a challenge. Pretty much they do it like this at the moment. Nobody gets involved, really involved, in the point as many as before,” he said.
“So I don’t know why the rush to call at an important moment.”
At Queen’s, Nalbandian had been one set up in the final against Marin Cilic when he booted the advertising board around the line judge’s feet, smashing it into his shin and leaving him bleeding and clearly in pain.
“Bad luck. Can happen to everybody,” Nalbandian said of the incident.
“Everybody understood it wasn’t a good thing that I did, but was very unlucky, as well.”
The world No.40 was sanctioned approximately $US70,000 ($A69,900) in prize money and fines, and 150 ranking points for unsportsmanlike conduct.
There was no repeat of the incident at Wimbledon – no advertising is allowed at the Championships in any case – but he showed flashes of the temper that has got him into trouble in the past, smacking his racquet into the turf and swinging it in anger.
Nalbandian reached the final on his Wimbledon debut in 2002, losing to Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt. He was unseeded this time around.