French tennis player Terence Atmane became involved in a heated exchange with US Open medical staff after being denied on-court treatment because of tennis’s strict rules on cramping.
Under the sport’s regulations, players cannot receive a medical timeout during a match for cramps. Treatment for that issue is limited to brief attention during changeovers or between sets.
Atmane, however, insisted his problem was not cramp but a separate muscular pain, even though he had appeared to deal with similar physical difficulties earlier in his five-set contest against Jaume Munar.
The dispute escalated late in the fifth set when Atmane called for the physio and grew increasingly frustrated as the responding physiotherapist questioned whether he was entitled to a medical timeout.
‘I need treatment here, this is not cramping,’ the 24-year-old said. ‘This is pain. I have pain.
‘I’m telling you, I have pain. On both sides, before I was cramping, and now I have pain. You don’t understand? No, you don’t understand. I need treatment, I really need treatment right now.’
Terence Atmane boiled over after he was refused a medical timeout when the physio determined he was suffering from cramp
The Frenchman had already received treatment during a break in play but continued to struggle with what he described as ‘pain’ in the fifth set
When told that he could not be treated if he was suffering cramp, Atmane turned up the volume.
‘This was not cramp, it’s pain. It was pain,’ he raged. ‘Excuse me, can you please give me treatment, and stop acting stupid. Is it possible to have some common sense? I tell him I have pain, why is he telling me no? I have pain.’
The tournament supervisor, called onto court to attend to the issue, urged Atmane to remember that the physio was a ‘medical professional’.
‘It’s my body. I have pain on both there, so I need treatment there,’ Atmane replied, before speaking over the physio.
‘What do you mean come on man? I’m telling you I have pain on both my legs. P-A-I-N,’ Atmane spelled out. ‘Pain. Not cramp. I know the rules, that’s why I’m asking you. It’s not a cramp, it’s pain.’
Despite his protestations, Atmane was refused treatment, but was unable to take no for an answer as the physio walked away.
‘Come back, come back,’ he called. ‘What’s your credentials? I don’t know your name. No, no no, come back.’
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Atmane then rounded on the umpire as he was ordered to return to play, adding: ‘I have pain, and the guy says no. I’m telling him I have pain, and the guy says no. What does it matter? I get the name after this.’
During the third set, Atmane became so badly impaired with a muscular issue that he was almost unable to move
The 24-year-old was only able to serve underarm and lost the set 6-1 after building a strong two-set lead
Earlier in the match, Atmane was suffering so severely he was forced into limited movement and underarm serving in the third set.
The Frenchman was two sets up against the Spaniard when he began to struggle, and first received medical timeout for a leg issue, before continuing to play impaired.
Munar disagreed with the decision to award Atmane a timeout, and later accused Atmane of time-wasting and receiving extra on-court coaching, calling for the supervisor to complain directly.
Atmane went on to receive a time violation for repeatedly taking too much time between points.
World No. 55 Munar complained about his opponent’s conduct again in the fifth set after Atmane’s rant, but the pair exchanged a civil – if curt – handshake after Munar beat his rival 6-7(5), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(4), 7-5.
The drama on Court 13 throws into perspective the cloudiness which surrounds the rule, with the guidelines often criticised for inconsistent enforcement.
Cramps are classified as a fitness issue, rather than injury or illness, with many players turning to esoteric methods like drinking pickle juice on-court to stave off the dehydration often at the root of the problem.
But at this year’s Australian Open, a tussle between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev over the former’s on-court treatment turned ugly with the German accusing the tournament of not adhering to the regulations.
The Career Grand Slam winner had been badly affected by the challenging heat in Melbourne, throwing up multiple times during their semi-final.
His movement was later affected, and Alcaraz went on to request a medical timeout, which was granted.
‘He has cramps,’ Zverev told the supervisor as Alcaraz received treatment. ‘What else should it be? This is absolute bulls***.’
‘That is unbelievable. That can not be. You can not be serious,’ he continued in a mixture of German and English.
