KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga says Rafael Nadal received preferential treatment from the chair umpire during their quarterfinal match at the Sony Ericsson Open.
Nadal says that’s not the case.
Nadal continued his bid for his first Key Biscayne title by defeating Tsonga 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in a match that ended shortly after midnight on Friday. Tsonga complained during the match and afterward that umpire Damian Steiner was reluctant to overrule borderline calls.
Many players contend that since the advent of the Hawk-Eye replay review system, which allows players to challenge calls, umpires are less inclined to overrule the linesperson.
Tsonga said he lost concentration because he became so focused on watching the lines in case he needed to challenge a ruling.
