Rublev Calls on ATP to Review Rule That Led to Default in Dubai 

Russia's Andrey Rublev argues with an official after he was defaulted against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan after their semi-final match at the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship in Dubai on March 1, 2024. (AFP)
Russia's Andrey Rublev argues with an official after he was defaulted against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan after their semi-final match at the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship in Dubai on March 1, 2024. (AFP)
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Rublev Calls on ATP to Review Rule That Led to Default in Dubai 

Russia's Andrey Rublev argues with an official after he was defaulted against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan after their semi-final match at the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship in Dubai on March 1, 2024. (AFP)
Russia's Andrey Rublev argues with an official after he was defaulted against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan after their semi-final match at the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship in Dubai on March 1, 2024. (AFP)

Andrey Rublev has called on the ATP Tour to change the rule that led to him being defaulted at the Dubai Tennis Championships last week.

Rublev was defaulted by the chair umpire after a Russian-speaking official said he had used an obscenity while yelling at a line judge over a call during his semi-final with Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik on Friday.

Rublev denied the accusation and urged the officials to review video of the incident, a request which was rejected.

Bublik was ahead 6-7(4) 7-6(5) 6-5 when he was awarded the win but world number five Rublev later successfully appealed the decision and will retain the ranking points and prize money he earned, barring a fine of $36,400 for a code violation.

In a post on Instagram, Rublev thanked the appeals committee but said the rules needed a rethink.

"I hope that in the future, the ATP will take a closer look at this rule and make changes to it, so that an official can't force a match outcome without having clear evidence and not letting the player have a video review," Rublev said.

Reuters has contacted the ATP for comment.

"While I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to finish my semi-final in Dubai, I am grateful for all the support I had from you the last two days, I received a lot of messages," Rublev added.



Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
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Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)

The Olympic cauldron that made a stunning first flight at the Paris Games opening ceremony will sit on the ground during the day and rise again every evening.

Paris Olympics organizers said that from Saturday, the cauldron attached to a balloon will fly more than 60 meters (197 feet) above the Tuileries gardens near the glass pyramid entrance to the Louvre museum from sunset until 2 a.m.

During daytime hours, 10,000 people each day can get free tickets to approach the cauldron, which is the first in Olympic history to light up without the use of fossil fuels.

Organizers said the electric flame uses 40 LED spotlights “to illuminate the cloud created by 200 high-pressure misting nozzles.”