Sometimes, when nature calls, you simply have to respond.
During his third-round match at the French Open, the umpire appeared to deny Australian tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis a toilet break, leaving him surprised and confused.
After dropping the second set, Kokkinakis went to speak with chair umpire Katarzyna Radwan-Cho, who had taken a bathroom break after the first set.
“He requested to have a chance to succeed,” he said to her. “But now you’re saying I only have 50 seconds. Can you please be honest and give me a fair opportunity for once?”
“Wow, we only get two bathroom breaks for a five-set match?” he exclaimed, alluding to the limited number of permitted breaks. “Should I just urinate on the court instead?”
“Is that your desired outcome?”
Kokkinakis was ultimately defeated by Russia’s Karen Khachanov in four sets. Khachanov managed to turn around a 4-1 disadvantage in the fourth-set tiebreak, securing the win and moving on to the fourth round.
Laura Robson, a retired British athlete and current Eurosport commentator, provided insight as to why Kokkinakis may have faced difficulties in returning to the bathroom in a timely manner.
“You need to run fast, but the issue is that the bathrooms on Simonne-Mathieu court are not as conveniently located as those on Chatrier and Lenglen courts.”
“He is clearly frustrated as he is attempting to reach his destination quickly, but it is physically impossible for him to do so… at least it did not occur on the court.”
Source: cnn.com