It is the fine imposed on the French tennis player for the episode at the Madrid Masters 1000 when he deliberately dropped a ball from his pocket to interrupt the game. The fine is halved as long as he does not commit any other violations this year
The ATP regulation states that the game must be suspended if there are two tennis balls on the court. So why not drop one out of your pocket in a tight spot and hope you get away with it? The “genius” thought was the work of Hugo Gaston, currently number 108 in the world. Too bad the cameras caught the Frenchman’s gesture, forced to pay a fine after losing the game: no, it wasn’t worth it.
the episode
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The crime took place during the Masters 1000 in Madrid, in the second round match against Borna Coric. The Frenchman was trying to save a set point in the ninth game of the first set and, in a difficult situation within the rally, he deliberately let the ball out of his pocket, as evidenced by numerous videos on the net. The chair umpire was not deceived by Gaston’s gesture, who still lost the set and the match making up for a fool. The fine – initially 144,000 euros, more than the player earned in 2023 – was halved by the ATP, provided that between now and the end of the year the player no longer makes similar gestures. But considering Gaston’s status (former number 58 in the world) and the fact that last year he had already been booked for a similar gesture, it is an episode that is sensational.