"Shame on Carlos Alcaraz";"He's becoming Djokovic" - Fans in shock after Spaniard's unexpected outburst at umpire in Japan Open final

Carlos Alcaraz at the 2025 US Open (Source: Getty)
Carlos Alcaraz at the 2025 US Open (Source: Getty)

Carlos Alcaraz won the Japan Open final against Taylor Fritz. However, the Spaniard's eighth title triumph of the 2025 tennis season was marred by a rare instance of him lashing out at the chair umpire. The reigning World No. 1 cut a furious figure after umpire Fergus Murphy gave him a time violation for taking a bit too long to recover after a physical rally.

Ad

Following the conclusion of the rally, Alcaraz appeared to be taking deep breaths before beginning the motion of his next serve. As the Spaniard was recovering, Murphy issued a time violation as the shot clock had run out. Later, the six-time Major champion questioned the umpire's playing experience, implying that he needed more time for his next serve after an exhausting point.

"You think this is normal? Normal or no? I'm asking a question, is it normal or no? Finished the point at the net, I'm a bit tired after the point and I can't go... (gestures towards towel box at the end of the court) Do you think it's normal? You haven't played tennis in your life, come on. You have never played tennis in your life! Okay, alright," Alcaraz told Murphy in a rather heated manner.
Ad
Ad

Several tennis fans on X (formerly Twitter) blatantly disapproved of the way Carlos Alcaraz behaved with Fergus Murphy.

"Shame on Carlos Alcaraz. Nobody will be talking about this behavior because he's the media darling tho," one fan wrote.
"He's becoming Djokovic or what?," questioned another, bringing up the legendary Serb's penchant for stirring controversy by boldly taking on chair umpires.
Ad
"The worst song to play during a crashout LMAO," another fan chimed in, referring to the children's song 'Happy and You Know It' when the incident took place.
"Scenes if other players are the one acting like this 😹," added one.
"He complains about the shot clock at least once a tournament It's fun to see him annoyed occasionally," another stated.
Ad
"Hes so rude genuinely an awful man when will his fake PR stop working 💔💔💔," weighed in yet another fan.

Despite Japan Open title triumph, Carlos Alcaraz shockingly pulls out from Shanghai Masters

Carlos Alcaraz poses with the 2025 Japan Open men's singles trophy (Source: Getty)
Carlos Alcaraz poses with the 2025 Japan Open men's singles trophy (Source: Getty)

Carlos Alcaraz's straight-set win over Taylor Fritz in the 2025 Japan Open men's singles final came at a cost. The Spaniard has withdrawn from this year's upcoming Shanghai Masters, where he would have been among the favorites to win the title. Alcaraz sustained an ankle injury early on during his participation in Tokyo.

Ad

The World No. 1 confirmed the development via an Instagram post following his title triumph in the Japanese capital, writing:

"Unfortunately, I've been struggling with some physical issues and, after discussing with my team, we believe the best decision is to rest and recover."

As things stand, hopes of another Alcaraz-Sinner can be ruled out as far as the Shanghai Masters is concerned. The Italian has made it to the final of the China Open, where he is slated to face American teenage sensation Learner Tien.

Quick Links

Edited by Sudipto Pati
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications