Shapovalov sorry for striking umpire, letting country down

OTTAWA, Canada: Canada’s Denis Shapovalov was left mortified after joining tennis’s hall of infamy on Sunday, offering an apology and promising that he would learn from his momentary explosion of temper that left a Davis Cup umpire needing a visit to hospital.

Shapovalov, one of the brightest young talents in the game at 17, said he was “ashamed” after hitting chair umpire Arnaud Gabas with a ball he smashed away in anger during the Canada-Britain tie here.

“After dropping serve in the third game of the third set, Denis Shapovalov hit the ball very hard, unintentionally striking chair umpire Arnaud Gabas in the left eye, causing him to need medical attention,” the International Tennis Federation said in a statement on Monday.

The incident happened in the third set of the deciding rubber with the tie locked at 2-2 and Shapovalov, the Wimbledon boys champion, two sets and a break of serve down to Britain’s Kyle Edmund.

The teenager was immediately defaulted for “unsportsmanlike conduct”, with Britain handed a 3-2 victory in the tie.

“Referee Brian Earley, who witnessed the incident, declared an immediate default of Mr Shapovalov for unsportsmanlike conduct. It was clear that Mr Shapovalov did not intend to hit Mr Gabas,” the ITF said. Shapovalov sought out the umpire in the referee’s office and apologised.