Jack Draper’s Indian Wells title defence came to an end in controversial fashion after the Brit was stung by a bizarre ruling in favour of Daniil Medvedev.
Medvedev, 30, advanced to the men’s semi-finals, benefiting from a disputed, overturned point late in his 6-1, 7-5 victory.
Draper, 24, momentarily threw his arms to his side to signal he thought Medvedev’s deep forehand had landed long during a rally that ended several shots later when Medvedev’s backhand went into the net.
Medvedev, already up one set, asked chair umpire Aurelie Tourte for a video review.
Tourte said that by rule, Draper’s gesture was ‘something different than you would do normally,’ and that she felt compelled to award the point to Medvedev.
‘We played two shots afterwards,’ Draper protested calmly. ‘I get it if he missed the next ball, but he didn’t.’
Jack Draper and Daniil Medvedev exchanged words about the controversy after the match
The ruling, which drew boos from the crowd, put Medvedev up 0-30 en route to a break that allowed him to serve out the match one game later, setting up his semi-final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday.
Medvedev said he would have accepted whatever ruling Tourte made and merely requested the review because the rules allow it.
‘I don’t feel great’ about it, Medvedev told Draper on the court moments after the match.
Draper conceded to Medvedev that he ‘won the match fair and square’ but didn’t think his gesture distracted Medvedev enough to warrant the review.
He later reflected to BBC Sport: ‘It’s a difficult situation for the ref. I don’t think I did enough to hinder him, but at the end of the day I did make a slight thing with my hands.
‘On one hand, I get it, but on the other, I don’t think it was enough to distract Daniil.
‘If he had missed the next ball and it was very clear that I had hindered him, then I would get it.
‘I think he’s played the rules quite well. The rally carried on and I was able to win the point so I don’t think I should have lost the point. I think it’s pretty harsh.”
Medvedev added: ‘Was I distracted big time? No. Was I distracted a bit? Yes. Is it enough to win the point? I don’t know.
‘If you look on the first forehand I do after it happened, I think I could have done a better shot if there was no gesture from Jack.
‘Do I feel good about it? Not really, but I also don’t feel like I cheated. I let the referee decide.’
British hopes at Indian Wells were ended as Cameron Norrie also went out against Alcaraz.
The Spaniard went through to his fifth successive semi-final at the tournament with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.
