incident<\/a> unfolded with Cobolli serving at 0-15 when a spare ball slipped from his shorts pocket and rolled behind him during the rally. Concerned about his footing, he chose not to strike the next ball and assumed the umpire would call a let.<\/p>\nNo call came. Instead, the point was awarded to Wawrinka, prompting Cobolli to walk toward the chair in disbelief. \u201cI cannot hit the ball. I risk to injure my legs. I cannot,\u201d Cobolli said, insisting that playing on would have been dangerous.<\/p>\n
The chair umpire pushed back, explaining, \u201cIt\u2019s not about looking, because you can\u2019t hinder yourself.\u201d Cobolli continued to argue, saying, \u201cI cannot hit the ball because the other ball was there,\u201d while Italy\u2019s team captain, his father Stefano, joined the discussion from the sidelines.<\/p>\n
As the debate dragged on, tour supervisor Gerry Armstrong was called onto the court. Wawrinka, standing nearby, even offered to watch a replay to settle the matter. \u201cLet\u2019s just see the replay. If it come out, we\u2019ll play,\u201d the Swiss star suggested.<\/p>\n
Armstrong quickly shut that down, making it clear that video evidence would not change the ruling. \u201cYou can\u2019t hinder yourself. Flavio, you can\u2019t hinder yourself. But that\u2019s down to you. It\u2019s nothing to do with Stan,\u201d Armstrong said, emphasizing that the responsibility rested entirely with the server.<\/p>\n
MORE: Flavio Cobolli Makes Feelings Known on Training With Carlos Alcaraz<\/a><\/p>\nWawrinka then summed it up bluntly for his opponent, saying, \u201cSo that\u2019s the rule. That\u2019s not because the ball out, that\u2019s because the rule is, if you drop it, you lose the point.\u201d<\/p>\n
How Do the Rules Treat Player-Caused Hindrance During a Rally?<\/p>\n
Under ATP regulations, any item dropped by a player other than the racquet during a live point is considered a player-caused hindrance. The point is automatically lost, regardless of intent or perceived danger. Once the explanation was complete, the umpire confirmed the decision, handing Wawrinka a 0-30 lead.<\/p>\n
Cobolli regrouped impressively, however, closing out the first set 6-4 and eventually winning a dramatic three-set match 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(4). The victory leveled the tie at 1-1 after Switzerland\u2019s Belinda Bencic defeated Jasmine Paolini earlier. The group outcome was left to the deciding doubles match featuring Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori against Bencic and Jakub Paul.<\/p>\n