Rublev’s disqualification will ruin the image of the tournament in Dubai, Pivovarova said

Former world number two among juniors Anastasia Pivovarova called the punishment that the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) initially imposed on Andrey Rublev after an incident at a tournament in Dubai too severe.

Last week, the Russian was disqualified during his semi-final against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan. At the end of the third set, Rublev shouted at the line referee in Russian, which is why the main referee of the match decided to disqualify the tennis player.

According to the regulations, Rublev had to lose all prize money and points earned in the competition and leave the top 5 of the ATP rankings. However, on Monday it became known that the ATP upheld Rublev’s appeal. He kept the points and prize money.

“This is definitely a severe punishment.” Tennis becomes an even more entertaining sport when players express themselves emotionally. Of course, you need to know when to stop: for example, Nick Kyrgios’s behavior goes beyond all limits. But we must not forget that spectators also come to watch the show.

It is a plus for the organizers and sponsors that the players attract so much attention to the match. And such decisions of judges on disqualification, on the contrary, leave negative impressions of the tournament and its organization,” Gazeta.Ru quotes Pivovarova as saying.