Overview
- Carilo Ugo Carabelli left his quarterfinal match against Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva at 5-5 in the first set after complaining the clay court was "horrible," and tournament supervisors immediately ruled a default that advanced Reis Da Silva to the semifinals.
- The default removed the 12 ATP ranking points and the US$3,095 in prize money Carabelli had earned for reaching the quarterfinals, producing a measurable hit to his standing near world No. 75.
- Carabelli posted an Instagram statement accepting that his reaction was wrong, apologizing to the tournament and spectators, and saying he had acted without clear thought in the moment.
- Tournament and ATP rules allow defaults when a player leaves without authorization and permit additional fines of up to several thousand dollars, and the ATP is now reviewing whether to impose further monetary sanctions.
- The episode highlights how heavy rain had degraded Guayaquil’s clay—creating slipping and uneven bounce that other players also complained about and forcing at least one match to be moved—raising questions about how organisers balance player safety with strict rule enforcement.