A five-set Wimbledon thriller between Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina ended in a fiery handshanke and a heated argument after match point.
Auger-Aliassime, the third seed, ended Davidovich Fokina’s grass-court run with an astonishing 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-1 victory in four hours and 26 minutes.
But the epic fourth-round clash, which produced one of the points of the tournament earlier in the fourth set, ended in bad blood and two tense discussions between the players.
The dispute related to a medical timeout called by Davidovich Fokina after he appeared to go over his ankle when sliding on the grass, just after he saved two match points towards the end of the fourth set.
As Auger-Aliassime served for the match, Davidovich Fokina was left hobbling after appearing to go over his ankle when chasing down a ball behind the baseline.
By that point, it was the second time in the match that Davidovich Fokina had gone over his left ankle, having received treatement following a similar slip earlier.
Davidovich Fokina got back to his feet and took a medical timeout when the Spaniard had two break points on 15-40. After the timeout, the match resumed – but Canadian Auger-Aliassime immediately double faulted.
After what seemed to be a rapid recovery, Davidovich Fokina then produced a comeback to force the deciding fifth set, winning the fourth set on a tiebreak. Auger-Aliassime, however, assumed control in the fifth to book a quarter-final clash with Novak Djokovic.
Auger-Aliassime roared after slamming an ace on match before Davidovich Fokina bumped his chest as they shook hands. However, Auger-Aliassime then had words for Auger-Aliassime following the handshake, with Davidovich Fokina gesturing to his ankle.
The argument continued when Davidovich Fokina left Court No 1 to a standing ovation, with Auger-Aliassime reaffirming his disapproval at how the medical timeout unfolded and how it was quickly followed by his opponent returning to play at a high level.
A medical timeout is a formal stoppage of play and can only be granted when the physio decides that extra time is required to address a condition. Players are allowed one medical timeout per injury and the final decision on what qualifies rests with medical staff, not the player.
Afterwards, Auger-Aliassime refused to go into details of the exchange, but said it was a “disgrace” that Davidovich Fokina was able to call the physio and receive treatment during his service game, before going on to continue the match.
“I don’t want to get into that. If he wants to come in here and talk about it, he can. But he knows my opinion,” Auger-Aliassime said.
“Now what I can say is that I think the rule has to change. I think that obviously as long as the rule is like that, a player will use it to their advantage.
“I think that it’s very simple: if you’re hurt while the game’s going on of your opponent, in the middle of the game, the opponent is serving, the shot clock is on, basically when you’re hurt bad, you’re forfeiting every point until you can call the physio. If the physio helps you recover, you play your service game. If you’re hurt bad, then you retire, obviously.
“But to stop in the middle of an opponent’s service game and to be able to call the physio, I think that’s a disgrace of a rule. I don’t see any other sport where you can do that. I mark my words. It’s a disgrace of a rule.”
Speaking immediately after his victory, a relieved Auger-Aliassime said: “I’ve played a few rollercoaster matches in the course of my career but this is at the top of the charts. It was a crazy match!
“Great level, high intensity, high focus. He’s been on a winning streak on grass. There were only a few points between us and the level kept being high. I’m thrilled to get through because it was a very hard-fought match.
“More than four hours and that’s a lot of work, a lot of milage in the legs but I feel good and I’m excited for what comes next.”
On the point of the match, an enthralling scramble in the fifth game of the fourth set where Davidovich Fokina lept to land a volley, Auger-Aliassime said: “I was actually laughing as I was running to the ball, I think that’s a first. I was thinking, this is too good. That’s the definition of enjoying the moment, enjoying yourself on the court.”
