Thanasi Kokkinakis and Jaume Munar played a very close match at the 2023 Madrid Open and the tensions were high.
Both players certainly felt that they could have won the match, but only one second-round spot was available to the winner and the Spaniard took it after beating Kokkinakis 7-6(7), 7-6(3) in two hours and 39 minutes.
For the Australian, it's certainly another painful loss this season after losing in three tie-breaks in his latest match. But Kokkinakis maybe didn't even expect to get into the main draw of the 2023 Madrid Open as he got in last minute after a series of withdrawals.
But once he got in, the match was worth it. Kokkinakis was able to showcase his qualities, but it was the tensions between the players that stole the show.
The origin of this on-court incident can be traced back to a moment in the second set when Kokkinakis, leading 4-2, approached the umpire to discuss an issue. Overhearing Munar talking on the other end of the court, Kokkinakis bluntly retorted, "bro you don't shut up."
This comment prompted the Australian to defend himself to the umpire, highlighting what he perceived as Munar's similar behavior throughout the match.
"I just thought it was rich him talking cause he's done the same thing the whole time."
But Kokkinakis was there to discuss the shot clock with the umpire, who was Mohamed Lahyani, as he went on to continue his original problem.
"When you called the score, I've turned around and then you said it in Spanish, I turned around and it's on 13, that's too quick."
But Munar remembered what happened during the match and what Kokkinakis said and so he couldn't resist and get back to it after the match ended. He said: "Don't tell me to shut up again." But the Australian responded coldly, saying: "Or what?"
The umpire quickly wanted to jump in to deescalate the situation but both players quickly asserted that they are only trying to discuss the situation. And although their conversation at the net may have seemed heated to some, it was nice to see Kokkinakis and Munar turn an initial heated moment into a nice sportsmanship as they seemed to have discussed what happened in peace.
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