Greek star defends controversial bathroom breaks after 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-0 win over France’s Mannarino
Stefanos Tsitsipas reacts during his second round match against Adrian Mannarino in New York on Wednesday. Pic/Getty Images
Stefanos Tsitsipas says he doesn’t see why fans boo him and rivals complain about his extended bathroom breaks, trips he says are important to keeping him among Grand Slam contenders. But his latest losing rival sees a sportsmanship issue.
The Greek third seed took another of his controversial toilet treks lasting nearly eight minutes before the fourth set Wednesday before beating France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-0. “That break on the third set helped me refresh myself, as I like to do,” said Tsitsipas.
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‘I need breaks’
“It’s good for me to be less sweaty and feel fresh, start a new set with a fresh mindset, recalibrate myself.” Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev, who have lost after being on the receiving end of what they call gamesmanship moves from Tsitsipas, have ridiculed his long breaks as trips to the moon or longer than billionaire Jeff Bezos spent in his flight to space.
“I didn’t break any rules,” Tsitsipas said. “There is rule for that which really doesn’t specify the time you have to spend in the bathroom. It’s important to take it if you have to. For me, it’s important to take that break. For someone else probably not.”
Mannarino didn’t find the break funny at all.
Unsportsmanlike conduct
“A toilet break is to go to the bathroom...if it’s to break the rhythm, it’s unsportsmanlike conduct,” the Frenchman said.
Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev breezed into the third round over Germany’s Dominik Koepfer 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. Victoria Azarenka and Garbine Muguruza booked a third-round showdown.
Spanish ninth seed Muguruza beat Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-2. She will next face Azarenka, the 18th seed from Belarus who defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 7-6 (7/1).
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