Wimbledon 2016: Tempers flare as Serena Williams threatens to sue Centre Court boss
World No1 is furious with officials lack of concern for player safety as All England Club want matches played on time
SERENA Williams blew her top at Wimbledon officials as safety was a major concern due to the lack of rain breaks.
The American world No 1 one even threatened to sue Centre Court referee Andrew Jarrett over the slippery conditions, telling umpire Marija Cicak “If I get hurt I’m suing him.”
Serena Williams was clearly angered by the attitude of the All England Club’s lack of concern for players safety, “I’m going to fall I don’t get it can’t they just close the roof?”
Frenchman Gilles Simon 31 was also on the warpath after last week, as he threatened legal action after the umpire refused to leave the court, Simon revealed how he wanted to “destroy” the official.
The All England Club waved away suggestions that referees were under pressure to get matches played in time.
Tempers really exploded during the men’s double match on court 7, as former doubles champion Brit Jonny Marray and Canada’s Adil Shamasdin took on Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas and the Spaniard Marcel Granollers.
Cuevas and Granollers were outraged when they were refused a toilet break when one of them was accused of threatening to relieve himself in to a ball can.
Umpire Aurelie Tourte punished their behaviour by giving the pair a code violation for unsportsmanlike like conduct.
related articles
This prompted them both to stage a sit in with opponents and officials baffled by the behaviour of the 15th seeds.
They were given a second code of violation as they smashed the ball out of court which resulted in the docking of a point gifting Marray and Shamasdin triple match point.
Forfeiting looked like Cuevas and Granollers only option as they refused to play anymore, with the double act causing a show that no one expected.
The pair finally returned to the action after more than 10 minutes as they eventually lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 14-12.
The anger had far from simmered as Tourte had to be led away from a seething Granollers, who promised to lodge a formal complaint with the referees office.