5 instances of tennis players getting disqualified 

Shapovalov's reaction after accidentally hitting the umpire
Shapovalov's reaction after accidentally hitting the umpire

Losing a tennis match is, obviously, quite disheartening for a player. However, losing a match by getting disqualified is probably the worst possible way to bow out of a tournament.

A tennis player can get disqualified if he or she receives three code violations or a direct disqualification if they physically abuse someone. These violations can be for verbal abuse, racket abuse, unsportsmanlike conduct, and so on.

ATP rules state that: Players shall not at any time physically abuse any official, opponent, spectator or other person within the precincts of the tournament site. For purposes of this rule, physical abuse is the unauthorized touching of an official, opponent, and spectator or other person.

There have not been too many instances of players losing a match due to disqualification.

In this article, we take a look at a few of those instances:

#5 Denis Shapovalov - 2017

Young rising star Denis Shapovalov was disqualified during Canada's Davis Cup encounter against Great Britain in 2017.

Just 17 years old back then, Shapovalov tossed the ball away in anger after getting broken in the third set by Kyle Edmund. However, the ball, travelling at around 80 mph, hit the umpire under the eye.

The young Canadian realised what he had done and immediately went to apologise. However, he was disqualified from the encounter before the umpire went on to receive medical treatment.

The Davis Cup tie was all square at 2-2 but Shapovalov's outburst gave the match to Great Britain. Edmund might have gone on to win the match anyway since he was leading by two sets to love and was up a break in the third. However, the disqualification gave Canada no hope to make a comeback.

Both Shapovalov and Edmund have risen through the ranks over the past couple of years and have achieved their career-best rankings as well.

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#4 David Nalbandian - 2012

AEGON Championships - Day Seven
AEGON Championships - Day Seven

While facing Marin Cilic in the final of the Queen's Club tournament back in 2012, David Nalbandian lost his cool after getting broken in the second set.

As soon as he got broken, he went and kicked an advertising board on the sidelines, which ended up hurting the linesman quite badly. He suffered a cut on the leg.

Despite being a set up, Nalbandian was then disqualified from the match, thus handing Cilic the title.

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#3 Anastasia Rodionova - 2007

ASB Classic - Day 1
ASB Classic - Day 1

While facing German Angelique Kerber back in 2007, Russia's Anastasia Rodionova became only the second person in the history of the WTA to be disqualified.

Kerber was given a default victory in the third set when Rodionova directed three balls into a group of Kerber's supporters.

Kerber was leading 4-6 6-4 1-0 at that point. Rodionova, however, denied that she was aiming at the crowd.

#2 Tim Henman - 1995

Henman apologised to the ball girl
Henman
apologised
to the ball girl

A few years before challenging the top tennis stars at Wimbledon, Tim Henman suffered a setback in 1995 during a doubles match.

Playing alongside Jeremy Bates, they were up to two sets to one against Jeff Tarango and Henrik Holm. During the fourth set tie-break, after missing a net-cord, Henman lashed out at a ball in anger, which ended up hitting a ball-girl on the head.

After a consultation with the match referee, Henman and Bates were defaulted from the match.

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#1 John McEnroe - 1990

McEnroe Arguing
McEnroe Arguing

This is probably one of the most famous tennis outbursts of all-time. American John McEnroe was disqualified from the match at the Australian open after he received three code-violations.

In the fourth round of the Australian Open in 1990, he was up against Mikael Pernfors. After exchanging one set each, McEnroe was leading 2-1 in the third set when he received his first code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct after intimidating a lines-woman

The second and third violations came in the fourth set when he was down a break at 2-4. The second one was for racket abuse and the third one was for verbal abuse.

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