"It was not in malice" - Paul McNamee rues lack of video replay for Novak Djokovic's controversial US Open 2020 default amid Cincinnati Open "shocker"

Former Australian tennis player Paul McNamee used Novak Djokovic's default at the 2020 US Open to strengthen the argument for the use of video review in tennis after controversy erupted at the 2024 Cincinnati Open. The third round of Felix Auger-Aliassime's match against Jack Draper ended in the Brit's favor but not without a moment of drama on match point.

Draper hit a volley which the Candian felt was shanked. However, chair umpire Greg Allensworth awarded the Brit the point. Auger-Alisassime and Allensworth engaged in a heated discussion, with the Brit also willing to replay a point after a video review. But their pleas came to no avail as Allensworth had made up his mind, meaning Draper took the win.

The replay later showed that Auger-Aliassime was correct and the Brit's volley had hit the ground before coming to the other side of the net. This controversy sparked discussions among the tennis fraternity with a lot of players voicing their dismay at the situation.

Paul McNamee took to X (formerly Twitter) to rue the lack of video replay in tennis mentioning how Novak Djokovic's default at the 2020 US Open could have been prevented. He felt that if the supervisor had watched the replay, they would have understood that the Serb's action, a ball that he hit accidentally caught the throat of a lineswoman, didn't have any malice.

"Given the Draper-FAA shocker, why not allow replays in match defining points? Another example was the default of Djokovic at the US Open…if the supervisor had watched a replay he would have seen it was not egregious or in malice… it was not an automatic default as many believe," McNamee said.

"Make sure this nonsense never happens again" - Novak Djokovic also voiced his dismay over Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Jack Draper controversy

Novak Djokovic (Image Source: Getty)

Novak Djokovic called out the aforementioned Cincinnati Open controversy and mentioned that it was 'embarrassing' that tennis still didn't allow chair umpires to change their original call based on a video review.

"It’s embarrassing that we don’t have video replay of these kind of situations on the court. What’s even more ridiculous is that we don’t have the rule in place that would allow chair umpires to change the original call based on the video review that happens off the court!"

He also pointed out how everyone at their homes could watch the replay, whereas the players couldn't. He requested the ATP Tour to look into the situation and make sure a similar situation didn't arise in the future.

"Everyone who watches TV sees what happened on the replay, yet the players on the court are kept in “dark” not knowing what’s the outcome. We have Hawkeye for line calls, we live in the technologically advanced 21st century! Please respective Tours, make sure this nonsense never happens again!"

After missing out on his title defence at the Cincinnati Open, Novak Djokovic will return to action at the 2024 US Open where he look to win an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam.