Novak Djokovic has voiced strong support for introducing video reviews in tennis after a controversial end to Jack Draper’s match at the Cincinnati Open, which sparked discussions about the need for replays in the sport.
Draper, the top-ranked British player, secured a hard-fought victory over Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime with a scoreline of 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, advancing to the quarter-finals. However, the match concluded in controversy when Auger-Aliassime protested that Draper’s winning volley had first touched the ground before clearing the net. The chair umpire, Greg Allensworth, ruled the point in Draper’s favor, but without access to a replay, the decision stood despite Auger-Aliassime’s objections.
Unable to overturn the call due to the lack of video evidence, the match supervisor upheld the original decision. Uncertain about the call’s accuracy, Draper declined to concede the point without clear proof of an error. Auger-Aliassime expressed his frustration to the umpire, remarking, “It’s going to go everywhere now, and it’s going to look ridiculous.”
The incident caught the attention of other players, with Stefanos Tsitsipas sharing a video clip of the disputed point on social media platform X, where he remarked, “I don’t think I have ever seen a shot like this.”
Djokovic, responding to Tsitsipas’s post, emphasized the need for video reviews to prevent similar situations in the future. “It’s embarrassing that we don’t have video replay for these types of situations,” Djokovic commented. “What’s even more absurd is that chair umpires can’t change the original call based on video review from off the court. Everyone watching on TV can see the replay, but the players are left in the dark.”
He further urged tennis authorities to address the issue, pointing out that with the technology available today, such incidents should not be happening. “We have Hawk-Eye for line calls, and we’re in the 21st century! Please, respective Tours, ensure this nonsense never happens again!” Djokovic concluded.
Draper’s journey at the Cincinnati Open came to an end on Sunday when he was defeated by Holger Rune in the quarter-finals, losing 4-6, 2-6. Rune capitalized on a single break point in the first set and broke Draper again early in the second to secure the win. Rune will now face Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals after Hubert Hurkacz retired from his match against the American. In the other semi-final, top seed Jannik Sinner is set to clash with Alexander Zverev.
On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek mounted a comeback to overcome Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, setting up a semi-final showdown with Aryna Sabalenka. Meanwhile, Jessica Pegula will face Paula Badosa after both secured their spots in the last four.
