Frances Tiafoe called out what he believes is an inconsistency in tennis rulings after his four-set defeat to Lorenzo Musetti on Tuesday, during which a frustrated Musetti kicked a tennis ball, which then hit a line judge. Musetti risked a potential disqualification from the match when the ball hit the line judge with the Italian up a set over Tiafoe. Instead, Musetti was issued a warning by the chair umpire.
Tiafoe called it comical that Musetti wasn't disqualified.
"He did that and nothing happened," Tiafoe said, via The Tennis Letter. "I think that's comical. It is what it is. Nothing happened. So there's nothing to talk about. Obviously it's not consistent. It is what it is."
Frances Tiafoe says Lorenzo Musetti not being penalized for this was comical
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 3, 2025
“He did that & nothing happened. I think that's comical. It is what it is. Nothing happened. So there's nothing to talk about. Obviously it's not consistent. It is what it is.”
pic.twitter.com/kdXcokmAeR
There have been prior instances of players being disqualified for similar moves towards tournament personnel. Just two years ago, Miyu Kato, a doubles player, was disqualifed for hitting a ball girl. Five years ago, 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic was also defaulted for hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball. Evidently, Roland Garros officials believed Musetti's move to be accidental.
The Italian apologized for the move after the match, according to Jose Morgado on X.
"Yeah, honestly it was really unlucky coincidence," Musetti said. "Yeah, I was honestly scared, because I really didn't want to harm nobody, of course. So I immediately went to the line umpire, and I of course said, 'Sorry, I apologize to everyone.'"
"It was right to have a warning, but I think the umpire saw that there was no intention about that, and that's why probably just, you know, let me continue my game."
With the win, Musetti advances to his first French Open semifinal.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tiafoe Rips French Open Officials for Not Penalizing Lorenzo Musetti's Angry Move .
