Marc Polmans apologizes for hitting chair umpire with ball

Field Level Media|published: Wed 4th October, 14:25 2023

Fans reach out to Rafael Nadal after the ATP tennis match between No. 1-seed Nadal and Albert Ramos-Vinolas during the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Nadal won in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2. credits: Sam Greene / USA TODAY NETWORK

Marc Polmans apologized for hitting a tennis ball into the face of the chair umpire, leading to his disqualification during final-round qualifying at the Shanghai Masters.

Polmans was leading 7-6 (3), 6-6 (6-5) and facing match point against Italy's Stefano Napolitano on Tuesday when he vented his frustration following a missed shot. The 26-year-old Australian swatted the ball as it rebounded off the net, resulting in it hitting chair umpire Ben Anderson.

Anderson did not appear to be seriously injured.

"An update from me - the umpire, Ben, has accepted my apology for my actions," Polmans wrote late Tuesday on Twitter. "He knows it was unintentional, and I shanked the ball on the frame in frustration in the heat of the moment.

"We both move on. It was a high-pressure situation and I should have reacted better."

—Field Level Media