Tennis star Reilly Opelka might face significant penalties after he labeled an umpire as the “worst ump on tour.”

During the second round of the Dallas Open earlier this month, Opelka faced Cameron Norrie, ultimately winning the match 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

However, the game was not without its controversies. Opelka was docked a point for using profane language directed at a spectator, whom he accused of constantly disrupting his serve.

Confronting the fan, he asked: “You doing it on f***ing purpose or what?” Prior to telling them to get out.”

Following the match, Reilly Opelka was candid about his thoughts on the incident, especially regarding chair umpire Greg Allensworth. The 27-year-old didn’t mince words, saying, “Worst ump on tour. He’s real bad.”

Following the match, Reilly Opelka was candid about his thoughts on the incident, especially regarding chair umpire Greg Allensworth. The 27-year-old didn’t mince words, saying, “Worst ump on tour. He’s real bad.”

“Almost changed the outcome of that match just because he doesn’t really know what he’s doing.

“And he got emotional, when we were arguing. … He didn’t tell [the fan] to shut up? He was doing it for, like, three points. He didn’t do his job, so I had to tell him, ‘Get out of here.’”

Due to his comments, the ATP has decided to take disciplinary action against Opelka, issuing the following statement:

“Audible obscenities directed at members of the public constitute a clear violation of ATP rules.

“In such instances, the chair umpire has a responsibility to take appropriate action, regardless of the match score. The ATP will review Mr. Opelka’s post-match comments as part of its standard disciplinary process.”

Opelka showed his frustration by refusing to shake hands with Allensworth at the match’s conclusion, signaling just how upset the ATP star was.

On Allensworth’s performance, Opelka added: “He gets no penalty. If I lose that point, I lose that match, that’s a difference in my paycheck. He gets no repercussions. That was bush league.

“The guy shouldn’t have a job or should be sidelined for about four weeks and you learn a thing or two. You can’t make those calls in ATP 500s. You’ve got to understand the situation. You can’t always play by the rulebook. It’s common sense.”

After defeating the British No. 2, Opelka fell to Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals, losing 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.

However, he’ll be back on the court Monday, taking on Christopher Eubanks at the Delray Beach Open in Florida.

Nick Kyrgios rejects his own Jannik Sinner comments and doubles down on complete U-turn

Nick Kyrgios has fiercely reacted to an old interview where he once called Jannik Sinner his “favorite player.”

Since Sinner tested positive for a banned substance last year, Kyrgios has been relentless in his criticism. The Italian was later cleared by an independent panel after explaining that trace amounts of the substance entered his system through a steroid cream used by someone in his entourage.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the ruling and is pushing for a lengthy ban on the world No. 1. Kyrgios has been a vocal critic of the process, fueling ongoing tension between him and Sinner.

“You get tested twice with a banned substance… you should be gone for two years,” Kyrgios wrote in one of his scathing social media posts last August. “Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream… Yeah, nice.”

This week, an old interview resurfaced where Kyrgios speaks highly of Sinner. The widely shared video shows the Australian saying:

“Sinner is like my favourite player right now.”

Kyrgios’ recent remarks have made it clear that his opinion of Sinner has shifted. He reinforced this change by personally responding to the resurfaced video where he once praised the Italian, writing:

“This was before he was found with roids in his system.”

Last month, Sinner set aside the doping controversy and claimed his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open—Kyrgios’ home turf. The 23-year-old dropped just two sets on his way to victory, defeating Holger Rune, Alex de Minaur, and Alexander Zverev.

Ahead of his dominant win over Zverev in the final, Sinner was asked about Kyrgios’ criticism but chose not to respond.

“In my mind I know exactly what happened, and that’s how I block it out,” he said. “I haven’t done anything wrong. That’s why I’m still here. That’s why I’m still playing. I don’t want to respond to what Nick said or what other players say. I think the most important part is having people around me that I can trust, people that know exactly what happened. That’s all.”

Kyrgios also took part in the Australian Open but battled an abdominal strain, leading to a first-round exit at the hands of Jacob Fearnley.

Nick Kyrgios has shared his thoughts following the news that tennis player Goncalo Oliveira tested positive for methamphetamine.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) revealed that Oliveira, a Portuguese-born player now representing Venezuela, has been temporarily banned from tennis after failing a drug test.

Oliveira, aged 29, was tested during an ATP Challenger event in Mexico on November 25, where his A sample was found to contain methamphetamine, a substance banned under the tennis anti-doping rules. He did not have a therapeutic use exemption for the drug, leading to his suspension which began on January 17. Oliveira has not appealed the suspension.

Reacting to this, Kyrgios took to Instagram, describing the situation as the “world has gone mad.” Known for his vocal stance on doping, especially after Jannik Sinner’s case, Kyrgios pointed out the irony in doping rules.

Sinner had tested positive for clostebol, an anabolic steroid, but was cleared due to no fault or negligence after proving contamination from his physiotherapist’s treatment.

Despite this, Sinner lost his ranking points and prize money from the Indian Wells Masters, though he wasn’t further penalized. The World Anti-Doping Agency appealed this decision, suggesting some responsibility on Sinner’s part.

Kyrgios has criticized the handling of Sinner’s case previously, and he revisited the topic with Oliveira’s suspension, sarcastically commenting, “Steroids are fine but this is wild,” alongside laughing emojis, indicating his disbelief in the current state of doping regulations in tennis.

Oliveira, in response to his suspension, has expressed his intent to be transparent and honest about the situation.

“This is a truly difficult moment for me – one that feels harder than the many injury setbacks I’ve faced throughout my career.

“But just as I’ve always done, I’m determined to face this challenge with head-on with strength and resolve. I have always competed with the utmost integrity, respect and love for the game of tennis.

“I am fully committed to proving my innocence and ensuring that the truth is brought to light. I am cooperating transparently with proactively with the ITIA, and working with lawyers to seek a swift resolution of this unfamiliar process.”

Cameron Norrie’s opponent calls for ATP umpire to be removed and refuses handshake

Reilly Opelka made headlines by refusing to shake hands with the chair umpire after a heated conclusion to his match against Cameron Norrie at the Dallas Open.

During the match’s final stages, Opelka, serving at 5-4, 30-30, was distracted by a heckler. Frustrated by the disruption, he yelled at the spectator to “get out of here” and was consequently hit with a point penalty. Despite this, Opelka managed to secure the win with a score of 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4, advancing to the quarter-finals.

The match was close, with Norrie being just two points away from victory in the second set’s tiebreak. However, Opelka staged a comeback. The aftermath saw Opelka publicly criticizing the umpire, suggesting he should be removed from officiating duties and placed on the sidelines, evidently upset over the handling of the heckling situation.

He turned to face the heckler, confronting them. “You doing it on f***ing purpose or what?” Opelka asked before telling them to get out.

Chair umpire Greg Allensworth quickly issued Reilly Opelka a code violation for using audible obscenity, leading to a point penalty that handed Cameron Norrie a break point at a pivotal moment in their match.

The crowd was taken aback by the call, considering the disruptive behavior of a heckler. Opelka, ranked No. 145, approached the chair to argue his case, emphasizing the necessity of addressing the spectator’s interference.

Despite the supervisor being summoned to the court, Allensworth’s decision stood firm. Opelka managed to fend off the break point, securing his place in the semi-finals.

Following the match, Opelka chose not to shake hands with the umpire and openly criticized his officiating.

Tim Henman has strongly criticized the Australian Open fans who booed Novak Djokovic off the court last month, calling their behavior “indefensible.”

Djokovic had to retire mid-match during his semi-final against Alexander Zverev, which prevented him from potentially securing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. Throughout the tournament, he was met with constant jeering from the crowd, and this hostility persisted even as he left Rod Laver Arena after withdrawing due to a hamstring injury.

Speaking to Mirror Sport, former British No. 1 Henman insisted there was no excuse for the crowd’s behaviour, though did acknowledge that Djokovic’s on-court antics often needlessly attracted trouble. “I think the fans got it totally wrong,” the 50-year-old said.

“For someone who is going for their 11th Australian Open title, their 25th slam, to pull out after a set, he’s obviously in a bad way. For him to be booed in that moment is pretty indefensible.

“However, I’m not on social media, but what I hear goes on with him and his fans, it’s chaos isn’t it. And there have been times when he’s probably attracted that. But he absolutely doesn’t deserve to be booed off court after he’s had to retire.”

Henman further speculated if Djokovic’s confrontational attitude on court might be driven by his wish to garner the same level of adoration that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal naturally attract.

“I think if you dig a bit deeper, in my opinion, he’s always craved the affection that’s been shown to Federer and Nadal,” he said.

“And some people I guess don’t like that, that he behaves in that way. But that whole thing isn’t really my scene. You look at what he’s achieved, you look at almost every stat and he’s the best in all of them. He’s phenomenal.”

Novak Djokovic, now 37, has always had a complex relationship with tennis fans. His fierce competitiveness, unshakeable confidence, and fiery on-court demeanor have garnered both staunch supporters and loud detractors over the years.

Many celebrate his relentless drive and indomitable spirit, while others are turned off by what they perceive as his brash assertiveness, especially when juxtaposed with the more reserved on-court personas of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

The situation intensified in January 2022 when Djokovic was deported from Australia for not being vaccinated against Covid-19. Initially granted an exemption by the Australian government to participate in the Australian Open, public outcry led to a policy reversal and his subsequent removal from the country.

Following this event, Djokovic’s firm position on the vaccination issue further entrenched his image as a divisive figure in both sports and politics. He clarified that he was not against vaccination per se but was a staunch advocate for bodily autonomy, even suggesting he’d be willing to end his tennis career for this principle.

This stance only inflamed his critics, which seems to have spurred Djokovic’s even more defiant match behavior. Today, wherever he competes, the 24-time Grand Slam champion often finds himself cast in the role of the antagonist – a role he has, at times, seemed to accept with enthusiasm.

His withdrawal from last month’s Australian Open extends his major title drought to 16 months, the longest since 2018. With just one more Grand Slam win, he could surpass Margaret Court to become the statistically greatest tennis player ever. However, with increasing injuries, the natural progression of age, and an ever-improving field of competitors, 2025 might be his critical window for success.