During the Davis Cup encounter between Belgium and Chile, a Belgian player hit his opponent on the net with his shoulder on the net. He went down – and refused to continue playing.
Chiles Cristian Garín had been born in front of the players as a result of a collision with Zizou Berg. Berg had hit Garín with his shoulder near the eye when the Belgian cheerfully sprinted to his bank. Garín remained and refused to play.
The chair referee then asked the Chilean to continue the game and applied the due penalty catalog, which ultimately resulted in a loss of game for Garín. Because at that time it was a break for Bergs 6: 3, 4: 6, 6: 5, the Belgian was awarded the game to 7: 5, which made the game decided. Belgium won the encounter in Hasselt 3: 1.
Belgian feared a punishment himself
While the guests from South America around captain and Olympic champion Nicolas Massu announced that he was against the rating, Bergs assured his innocence. “It was never my intention to hurt my opponent”said the 25-year-old, who is 60th in the world rankings.
Apparently he had misjudged the distance to Garín in his cheers about the possibly decisive break before his own service game when the paths of the two crossed the referee’s chair. “I want to jump away, but it’s too late and I meet him”Bergs admitted. He admitted to having feared a disqualification himself. But it remained with a warning.