The Guardian : declared in Denis Shapovalov fined $7,000 for smashing ball in tennis umpire’s eye

Denis Shapovalov has been fined $7,000 (£5,623) for his reckless actions in Great Britain's Davis Cup victory over Canada, the International Tennis Federation has announced. Gabas was taken to Ottawa general hospital as a precaution but no damage to the cornea or retina was found. He will see his personal eye doctor in France on Tuesday for a further examination. Davis Cup: GB through after Canadian defaulted for hitting umpire with ball Read moreThe 17-year-old Canadian smashed a ball in anger while trailing Kyle Edmund 6-3, 6-4, 2-1 during the third set of the deciding rubber, hitting the umpire, Arnaud Gabas, in the eye, and was immediately defaulted. Shapovalov could have been fined up to a maximum of $12,000 on site by the referee, Brian Earley, but the unintentional nature of the offence and the player's remorse will have been taken into account.

WATCH: A tennis player gets mad and hits the umpire in the face with a tennis ball

Shapovalov was so angry that he smashed the tennis ball as hard as he could -- unfortunately chair umpire Arnaud Gabas' face got in the way. When things go south, generally the anger is taken out on the racket, a towel or something inanimate -- generally not the chair umpire's face. Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov found a new way to express his frustration during Canada's Davis Cup first-round match against Great Britain. The outburst resulted in a default, and Great Britain moved on to face France in the quarterfinals. Hopefully the 2016 Wimbledon junior champion can put this nastiness behind him and go on to a prolific career.


It also happened to a Davis Cup umpire at TD Place in Ottawa. The Brits advance to the Davis Cup World Group quarter-final while Canada faces the circuitous route of World Group playoffs in September. Hopefully the next time Mr. Shapovalov strikes a tennis ball toward the stands, it will be a playful lob to the crowd, celebrating a well-earned victory. The end result was that Canada dropped the deciding singles match to Kyle Edmund (6-3, 6-4, 2-1) to deliver Great Britain a 3-2 win in this Davis Cup tie. As quickly as the ball reached the umpire, Shapovalov's right hand came to his own mouth to signal his mortification and disbelief over what just happened.