Rising Spanish tennis star Rafael Jodar handed code violation for swearing at ballboy

Shanghai – Rising Spanish star Rafael Jodar was warned for unsportsmanlike conduct after shouting an expletive at a ballboy in the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters on Oct 14.

Jodar, 20, was trailing Botic van de Zandschulp after losing the first set on a tiebreak when he shouted in Spanish: “Give me the f***ing towel!”

He had fired a shot just long to lose a break point in the first game of the second set.

Jodar was swiftly issued a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct, a violation of the ATP rulebook, by Ecuadoran chair umpire Jimmy Pinoargote.

The two had a brief exchange in Spanish as Jodar complained to Pinoargote that his request for a towel was being ignored.

Pinoargote responded that he understood but could not excuse Jodar’s language.

“Ask me, and I’ll ask him,” Pinoargote said.

“Not like that – that’s not how we speak to them.”

When Jodar asked Pinoargote, “What did I say?”, the umpire responded: “I can’t repeat it. You know what you said.”

Jodar went on to beat van de Zandschulp 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-2.

The world No. 13 is having a breakout season after starting at 168th.

He will face Casper Ruud in the Shanghai quarter-finals after the Norwegian advanced when Felix Auger-Aliassime retired injured from their fourth-round match.

Ballboys and ballgirls are stationed around the court to fetch loose balls and toss them to players during service games. They also hand players towels between points. AFP