Slam champion calls for sanctions against umpire Greg Allensworth after recent blunders

2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens is calling for umpire Greg Allenworth to face some form of sanction after being involved in two incidents this month.

Last weekend, Allensworth was refereeing the Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jack Draper match in Cincinnati when he appeared to miss a very clean double bounce from Draper. To make matters worse, it happened when Auger-Aliassime was facing match point – so instead of the 10th game of the third set going to 40/40, Draper got the point and automatically sealed a 5-7 6-4 6-4 victory.

Earlier this month, Allensworth also sat in the chair when Denis Shapovalov took on Ben Shelton in Washington. With Shapovalov down three match points, Allensworth called the Canadian for unsportsmanlike conduct and disqualified him from his quarterfinal match against Shelton.

Because the match ended via default, Shapovalov would lose $53k in tournament prize money as well as 100 ranking points. However, Shapovalov was later able to retain his tournament prize money and ranking points after appealing to the ATP.

“Serious question: what are the consequences for the chair umpire? These are 2 incidents in 2 tournaments for the same umpire. Is he going on trial? No end-of-year bonus? Can’t play the next grand slam? Fine? I’m genuinely curious,” Stephens asked.

Serious question: What are the consequences for the chair umpire? These are 2 incidents in 2 tournaments for the same umpire.

Is he going on trial? No year-end bonus? Can’t play the next grand slam? Fine?

I’m really curious. https://t.co/4sdMyQXizR

— sloanestephens (@SloaneStephens) August 17, 2024

What did Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov think of Allensworth?

While arguing his case and explaining that the ball clearly hit Draper’s frame and the ground, Auger-Aliassime at one point said to Allensworth, “Man, you’re going out now, and it’s going to be everywhere, and it’s going to look ridiculous. I mean it. It’s going to be crazy. And I know it’s not up to him to make that decision. It’s match point for him, it’s the win for him. But it’s up to you to make that decision.”

Meanwhile, Shapovalov also didn’t mince his words when explaining what he thought of Allensworth’s decision in his match against Washington.

“I want to thank you for being by my side these past few days. As you can imagine, it has been an extremely stressful time for me. I am still shocked and disappointed by the decision to disqualify me from my match against Ben in Washington. It was not fair to me, him or anyone else who was there to watch the match,” Shapovalov said in a message he posted on his social media a few days after the incident.

It remains to be seen whether the ATP will take action against referee Allensworth.