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Tennis players have been disqualified midway through their matches for various reasons over the years, with most having to do with their anger-inspired rule-breaking. But in a rather unusual and bizarre incident at an ATP Challenger event in Seville, this week, a player was disqualified before the start of a deciding set over a bathroom break.
The disqualification, in fact, was not a result of the duration of his bathroom break. It was because the player, American pro, Nicolas Moreno de Alboran, took a shower during his 10-minute break.
Per the rules of tennis, players can only use breaks to use the bathroom and change their kit, and for 'no other purpose.' Unaware of the rules, De Alboran took the opportunity to shower and cool himself down after winning the second set against Argentine tennis star Federico Delbonis.
Seconds after returning to the court, the 25-year-old was informed that he had been disqualified by the chair umpire for breaching the rules. The two players had an animated discussion upon De Alboran's official disqualification, but the American could do nothing about the decision.
It was a highly competitive match to that point. Former World No. 33 Delbonis took the opening set 7-5, after which De Alboran forced a deciding set by winning the second set in a tiebreaker.
The eventual result via disqualification took Delbonis into the Round of 16 of the Challenger Event in Seville.
Currently ranked No. 311 in the ATP rankings, De Alboran achieved a career-high ranking of No. 240 in April 2022.
When Norwegian tennis star Casper Ruud was penalized over a bathroom break at Canadian Open
During the ATP Canadian Open in Montreal earlier this year, World No. 7 Casper Ruud was fined for a lengthy bathroom break, where he used the bathroom 'only' to change his kit. Ruud, who took a 11-minute long break, was informed of the penalty upon his return to the court.
The umpire told the Norwegian star that the rules state that a player 'must use' the bathroom during the bathroom break, among other activities such as changing their kits.
Ruud used the break just to change his clothes during a hot day in Montreal, midway through his 6-7(4) 7-6(4) 6-4 win over Roberto Bautista Agut in the Round of 16 of the Canadian Open. The player had an animated discussion with the chair umpire and asked whether he should change his clothes in front of the crowd and others watching.
However, the umpire told him about the requirement to use the fixtures during the bathroom break. Ruud was hit with an 'unsportsmanlike conduct warning' that automatically came with a fine.
