Eighth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas has crashed out of the US Open after unleashing a tirade against the chair umpire, who he called a "weirdo."
The Greek lost a razor-close four-set thriller against Russian Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-7 (7-5) 7-6 (9-7) 7-5.
World No.43 Rublev, who two weeks ago earned the biggest win of his career when he beat Roger Federer in the third round at Cincinnati, attacked Tsitsipas with a barrage of forehands and broke his opponent five times.
But Tsitsipas, whose best showing at a Grand Slam came this year in Australia where he reached the semi-finals, received a coaching warning for his father's behaviour early in the third set at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Tsitsipas, one game after receiving a time violation in the fourth set, then became furious when the umpire would not allow him extra time on the changeover to change his bandana.
An angry Tsitsipas told the umpire: "You're a weirdo, you're all weirdos." He also asked to be given a point penalty, which the umpire granted at 3-4 before Rublev went on to hold to love.
Tsitsipas has now endured consecutive first-round exits at Grand Slams following his early departure from Wimbledon.
Up next for Rublev, who reached the US Open quarter-finals in 2017, will be either Frenchman Gilles Simon or American wildcard Bjorn Fratangelo.
10th seed makes early exit
Spanish 10th seed Roberto Bautista Agut was upset 3-6 6-1 6-4 3-6 6-3 by Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin.
The former ASB Classic champion was broken seven times by Kukushkin as he exited the year's final Grand Slam in the opening round for the second consecutive year.
It was Kukushkin's first victory over the Spaniard in four career meetings.
Up next for the Kazakh will be Australia's Alexei Popyrin, who beat Argentine Federico Delbonis 6-1 7-5 7-6(5) earlier on Tuesday.
Big-serving American John Isner beat Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3 6-4 6-4.
The 14th seed sent down 29 aces, hit 55 winners, won 20 of 26 points at the net and saved the only break point he faced to ease into the second round.
Italy's Matteo Berrettini beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-3 2-6 6-2 to advance to the US Open second round for the first time in his career.
The 23-year-old fired 18 aces in beating his veteran opponent in two hours and 43 minutes and now faces Australian Jordan Thompson, who scored a brilliant win over Joao Sousa 6-3 6-2 6-4.
Reuters
