Overview
- Footage from Thursday shows Atmane hurling his racket toward spectators during Shanghai Masters qualifying and retiring trailing 5-3 to Bernard Tomic after receiving a code violation and a point penalty.
- A metal railing stopped the thrown racket from striking anyone, and reports say no spectators were injured at the scene.
- The chair umpire chose a code violation rather than a default, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from figures such as Rennae Stubbs.
- The episode is being compared to Daniil Medvedev’s recent default in Beijing for a shot that hit a fan, fueling calls for uniform enforcement and clearer tournament sanctions.
- Atmane apologised on social media, cited a steep recent drop in ranking as a stressor, said he will take a break to rebuild, and formal fines or further disciplinary action have not been reported.