“It’s the referee’s decision” – Mauresmo on Djokovic’s complaints
The Serb had complained about the state of the court during his round of 16 match against Francisco Cerundolo at Roland-Garros
We will never know if Novak Djokovic‘s injury was related to the state of the court during his round of 16 match against Francisco Cerundolo. But during the match, the world No 1 complained about the court, asking it to be swept more regularly and slipped several times. On the court, he had railed against the chair umpire and the tournament supervisor. The Serb had to withdraw from his quarter-final against Casper Ruud after an MRI scan revealed a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.
Amélie Mauresmo, tournament director at Roland-Garros, provided some clarification on the subject.
“It’s not just the player who asks, it’s also the referee’s decision. The tournament supervisor was also on the court that day, and also made the decision not to do so (to sweep the court),” Mauresmo said.
“These decisions are taken on the spot, with the people who can judge them. That’s what happened. The decision you have seen has been made.”
It is doubtful that Djokovic will be satisfied by these explanations.