"Pathetic" - Sam Querrey, John Isner and others call out Cristian Garin over Davis Cup controversy with Zizou Bergs

Cristian Garin (left), Sam Querrey (top right), John Isner (bottom right), Sources: Getty
Cristian Garin (left), Sam Querrey (top right), John Isner (bottom right), Sources: Getty

Sam Querrey, John Isner, Steve Johnson and Jack Sock recently discussed the 2025 Davis Cup Qualifiers incident featuring Zizou Bergs and Cristian Garin. The American former ATP stars and co-hosts of the tennis podcast Nothing Major criticized Garin for the most part.

Belgium's Zizou Bergs celebrated breaking Chile's Cristian Garin in the 11th game of the decisive third set. However, the celebration led to the Belgian clattering into the Chilean during a changeover, leaving the latter on the floor. Citing injury, Garin refused to continue playing and demanded a default for Bergs.

The chair umpire though, deemed the collision accidental, and the Chilean's refusal to play further led to multiple time violations and a subsequent game penalty, resulting in Bergs and Belgium's victory in the first-round qualifying tie.

Recently, Sam Querrey, John Isner, Steve Johnson, and Jack Sock weighed in on the incident during an episode of the Nothing Major podcast.

Querrey, in particular, delivered a stinging assessment of Garin's behavior.

"Have you ever seen a bigger flop than Garin?" Sam Querrey asked. (at 23:05)
"He was a big flop," Isner responded.

Meanwhile, Johnson indirectly suggested that Bergs should have been defaulted while opining that Garin made a mountain out of a molehill. In the immediate aftermath of the controversy, several fans wondered why Bergs wasn't defaulted.

"Two things can be true at the same time there," Johnson weighed in.

Querrey lashed out at Garin, claiming that it was a display of weakness from the Chilean. The former ATP No. 11 also likened Garin's behavior to the type of simulation that's commonly seen in European and South American soccer, where some players have gained notoriety for feigning injury in a bid to either waste time or get opposing players sent off.

"That was like South American-European soccer flop. That was the weakest thing I've ever seen from Garin," Sam Querrey said.
"That's so weak from Garin. That is the most pathetic thing I've ever seen," he added later. (at 23:52).

The ITF referee, who was in charge of the first-round Davis Cup qualifying tie between Belgium and Chile, also spoke up about the controversial collision between Bergs and Garin.


ITF referee explained Zizou Bergs escaping Davis Cup Qualifiers default

Zizou Bergs at the 2025 Australian Open (Source: Getty)
Zizou Bergs at the 2025 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Mounting criticism of Zizou Bergs getting away with knocking Cristian Garin down prompted ITF referee Carlos Ramos to justify the chair umpire's decision to not disqualify the Belgian. Unlike Sam Querrey though, the referee steered clear of talking about Garin.

"Completely I consider it was a very unfortunate accident caused unfortunately by a player without any intention. I don't think there is any intention. Nothing that happened during the match would make anybody think that it was not an accident," Ramos said.

However, Ramos' take didn't go down well with many fans. Some fans recalled his notorious exchanges with Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final. Others vehemently disagreed with the referee, perceiving the incident as an accident.

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Edited by Prem Deshpande
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