DALLAS — Reilly Opelka is facing possible consequences for his remarks regarding a chair umpire, who he labeled the “worst ump on tour,” as stated by the ATP on Friday.
Opelka’s frustration arose during a match against Cameron Norrie at the Dallas Open on Thursday night, where he received a point penalty while serving for the win in the third set. Despite the setback, Opelka triumphed with a score of 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
The 27-year-old American athlete was penalized after he used offensive language while confronting a spectator, claiming that the individual was intentionally trying to disrupt his serve.
The ATP emphasized in their statement that “audible obscenities directed at members of the public constitute a clear violation of ATP rules.” They noted that in these situations, the chair umpire is obligated to take appropriate action, regardless of the match’s outcome. The ATP indicated they will evaluate Opelka’s post-match comments as part of their routine disciplinary procedure.
After the match concluded, Opelka criticized umpire Greg Allensworth for not intervening concerning the disruptive fan.
“Worst ump on tour,” Opelka remarked. “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.’”