"This is a Fucking Joke" - A Furious Andy Murray Accused World Number 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Cheating During Their 5 Set Battle At The US Open
Elsa. Getty Images.It's been a wild first day of the US Open so far with a whole lot of great matches. The main highlight of the day was 34 year old Andy Murray going toe to toe with the world number 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas. The two battled it out for five grueling sets, lasting 4 hours and 50 minutes, with Stefanos barely out-lasting the Britt. This was the 3rd longest match of Murray's grand slam career and it did not come without controversy.
Before we get into what happened tonight, it's important to bring up recent events surrounding Stefanos Tsitsipas and get you up to speed real quick. There have been multiple accusations in the past of Tsitsipas receiving illegal coaching and taking his phone with him during bathroom breaks after he loses a set. It may appear to be a dumb rule, but you cannot receive any coaching during the match and you especially can't be texting your coach while you go to the bathroom. Remember that Serena Williams tirade at the US Open a few years ago with Osaka? That had to do with Serena's coach giving her tactics mid match. Can't do that.
If you ask every player on tour who is most likely to do this they would say Tsitsipas in a heart beat. He does this all the fucking time and his opponents know it too. Just last week during the Western and Southern Open Alexander Zverev complained adamantly to the umpire that Tsitsipas was texting his dad in the bathroom. The camera then hilariously panned to his dad on his phone texting. The short video is here below at this time stamp.
Fast forward to tonight, Andy Murray complained to the umpire and supervisor that Tsitsipas was in the bathroom forever and was receiving tactics from his dad between the 4th and 5th sets. Same ol' shit again and Murray wasn't having any of it.
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Towards the end of the set with Tsitsipas in control, Murray joked with then umpire he needed the trainer which I thought was great.
After the match Murray was still pissed and rightfully so.
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It's honestly bullshit he keeps doing this and getting away with it. Dumb rule yes, but if everyone else is following it at the US Open you gotta too pal. Almost weekly now this dude is being called out for cheating and no one is doing anything about it. It may come off as whiny, but I don't blame Murray one bit for being pissed especially when you consider what he's had to go through to get back to playing anywhere near the level he showed today. Motherfucker looked great out there today after looking nothing but a shell of himself in matches leading up to the tournament. Out there for almost five hours and you have to deal with this asshole going to the bathroom for 10+ minutes doing exactly what he does every single time?
If it were up to me I feel like just taking away both players' phones before the match solves the issue pretty easily. Common sense department, every sport needs one. Doesn't solve telling people to not stall in the bathrooms, but it's a start.
Here are some highlights from the match to close out the blog. Awesome battle.