Complaining to the umpire is woven into tennis, a fiery clash of nerves and authority, yet the handshake should always seal the battle. Not every match, however, ends with that simple ritual. Years ago, at the Citi Open, Yulia Putintseva, exasperated after defeating Varvara Flink, went to shake hands, only to be refused. A similar storm erupted at the Bordeaux final, where players argued at the net and the customary handshake was entirely snubbed.

The Bordeaux final on the ATP Challenger Tour ended in chaos, with Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Raphael Collignon seen arguing at the net. Cerundolo claimed the title with a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) victory in the French city, but tensions flared after time was called.

After securing the winning point, both players marched toward the net for a brief handshake. Despite the formal gesture, the two were visibly frustrated and locked in a stern conversation. Collignon was seen pointing his finger toward the Argentine in apparent displeasure.

The argument continued all the way to the umpire’s chair. Collignon extended a handshake to the man in the middle, a gesture meant to uphold tradition. However, Cerundolo, presumably too focused on the dispute with his opponent, did not return the handshake. Instead, he marched straight back to his seat, leaving the umpire waiting.

After taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Cerundolo turned his attention to members of the crowd, who were likely part of his coaching team or family.

He continued gesturing in Collignon’s direction, making it clear he was far from satisfied with how the situation had unfolded. Once the tension eased, Cerundolo reflected on the match and shared his thoughts about the victory.

“Of course it was an amazing match, but I think the key is to stay point by point because every one of them, there were like a lot of rallies, the ground was slow because it rained today. So, I think that the key is to stay point by point and keep winning step by step, and I think that’s what is important,” he said.

Cerundolo is expected to continue his clay-court season at the ATP 250 Geneva Open this week, as he prepares for the French Open. He has reached the main draw at Roland-Garros once, last year, when he matched his best Grand Slam performance by reaching the second round. 

And while the snub at Bordeaux is now documented, such incidents have occurred before, often creating major chaos on tennis courts.

Holger Rune snubs umpire handshake after dramatic Davis Cup defeat

Last year, Denmark suffered one of the most heartbreaking Davis Cup collapses imaginable. After taking a commanding 2-0 lead against Spain in Marbella, the Danes were also ahead by a set in the doubles rubber before everything slipped away.

When Holger Rune stepped onto the court against Pedro Martinez, expectations were firmly on the world No. 11 to seal the tie for Denmark.

Instead, the match turned into a nightmare for the Danish star. Rune squandered a 5-3 lead in the deciding set and even failed to convert a match point as the 67th-ranked Martinez battled back for a dramatic 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (3) victory.

The defeat forced a deciding rubber, where Pablo Carreno Busta defeated Elmer Moeller to complete Spain’s stunning comeback win in front of the home crowd. After the painful loss, Rune shook hands with Martinez and members of the Spanish team. However, one noticeable gesture was missing.

The Dane refused to shake hands with the chair umpire before leaving the court, a moment that quickly drew attention. Rune later explained his actions and openly criticized the officiating during the match.

“He doesn’t deserve that. It’s pretty clear with so many mistakes. I don’t think it was very good work. So I don’t think he deserved it,” Rune told.

The incident echoed another controversial moment from years earlier. Back in 2016 at the Madrid Open, Fabio Fognini refused to shake the umpire’s hand after losing a roller-coaster second-round match to Kei Nishikori.

Instead of the traditional handshake, the Italian simply offered a brief thumbs-up. Earlier in the match, Fognini had already been penalized for an audible obscenity and later received a point penalty for ball abuse while serving at 5-6, 0-30, which only intensified his frustration.

Now, with another bitter ending unfolding at a Challenger final, the spotlight has once again fallen on tennis etiquette. Still, the season moves forward quickly, with attention now shifting toward the French Open and the drama that awaits on the clay courts of Paris.

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