Australian Open 2020 video - Umpire tells off Elliott Benchetrit for asking ball girl to peel banana
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 21/01/2020 at 14:13 GMT
France’s Elliott Benchetrit found himself at the centre of a social media firestorm after he was pulled up by an umpire for asking a ball girl to peel his banana for him.
Elliot Benchetrit of France reacts during his Men's Singles first round match against Yuichi Sugita of Japan on day two of the 2020 Australian Open
Image credit: Getty Images
Benchetrit, who exited the main draw of the Australian Open on Tuesday when losing in straight sets to Yuichi Sugita, was involved in the contentious moment during his qualifying match against Emil Ruusuvuori.
Benchetrit ate one banana during a change of ends, before gesturing to a ball girl that he wanted another, asking her to open it for him.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2020/01/21/2757865-56979310-2560-1440.jpg)
Umpire scolds Benchetrit for asking ball girl to peel banana
She proceeded to do so, before umpire John Blom told Benchetrit that he should do it himself, prompting a lengthy exchange between official and player.
The incident went viral on social media, leading the legendary Martina Navratilova to tweet that Benchetrit was “entitled”.
Benchetrit’s behaviour was also labelled “pretty rank” as it made headlines across the world.
But the player later had an explanation for the unusual request, telling reporters:
"I had put some powder on my hands to stop sweating. The bananas are very hard to peel here because they don't have a stem. I asked the ball kid nicely because she had already peeled one for me at the beginning of the match.
"The umpire intervened and told me: 'She's not your slave, you cannot ask her that'. He said 'Slave'!"
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement