Marc Polmans has issued a statement after he was disqualified from the qualifying event at the Shanghai Masters for smashing a ball into the umpire’s face. The Australian squandered a match point to qualify for his first-ever Masters 1000 event and sent the ball flying in frustration. He has now apologised, offering to buy the official a coffee.
Polmans was defaulted at 6-6 in the second set tiebreak during his second-round qualifying match against Stefano Napolitano. The world No 140 had already taken the first set 7-6(3) and failed to make a volley on match point when he unleashed his anger, with chair umpire Ben Anderson taking the blow.
In a new statement, the 26-year-old confirmed that he had apologised to Anderson and confirmed that the impact was unintentional. Taking to Instagram, Polmans wrote: “An update from me – the umpire, Ben, has accepted my apology for my actions – he knows it was unintentional and I shanked the ball on the frame in frustration in the heat of the moment.”
The Australian also had an unusual offering for the umpire, confirming he would be buying Anderson a coffee in apology. “We both move on. It was a high pressure situation and I should have reacted better,” he added.
“I look forward to shouting Ben a coffee next time we meet.”
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