Argentine tennis player kicked final line judge

David Nalbandian is today facing a police investigation into assault claims after he kicked an advertising hoarding at a line judge and left him with a bloodied shin.
The Argentine star was disqualified from the final of the Queen's Championships yesterday and Scotland Yard said a formal complaint had been made about him.
In an outbreak of petulance after missing a shot, the former world number three, echoing the temper tantrums of John McEnroe at his worst, took a savage kick at an ad hoarding.

Injured: David Nalbandian kicked an advertising board into a line judge, cutting his leg in the process

Frustration: David Nalbandian kicks out at an advertising board in front of line judge Andrew McDougall

Painful: The advertising board crashes into Andrew McDougall's leg, opening a nasty gash

It flew off its hinges and struck line judge Andrew McDougall in the shin, causing an inch-long gash from which blood started to seep.
Nalbandian, who had won the first set of the final, was disqualified after being deemed guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct.
He suffered further pain when he had his £36,500 prize money withdrawn and heard he could be hit with a £6,400 fine.

 

Today a spokesman for Scotland Yard said: 'We are aware of an incident at the Aegon Championships on June 17. A complaint has been made and the Metropolitan Police Service is now investigating.
'The allegation is of assault.'
Nalbandian's Croatian opponent Marin Cilic was declared the tournament winner after the incident.

Disqualified: David Nalbandian kicks the advertising hoarding towards the line judge yesterday

Anxious: David Nalbandian looks pensive as line judge Andrew McDougall receives treatment

Despite the incident, Nalbandian said afterwards that he hoped to return to the Wimbledon warm-up event next year.
'This incident doesn't mean that I'm not going to come back,' said the Argentinian.
'It doesn't matter. I really feel good at this tournament. The tournament director is great to me and I like it. This is a bad situation for everybody and I really apologise for that but it doesn't mean anything to next year.'
The 6,000-strong crowd sided with Nalbandian immediately after the incident, many of them unaware that the kick had caused such damage to the left leg of Mr McDougall, who needed treatment for the injury.
Nalbandian, 30, later apologised but insisted he should not have been made to default the match.
McEnroe himself was disqualified for swearing at an umpire at the 1990 Australian Open and Tim Henman banned for hitting a ball at a ballgirl at Wimbledon in 1995.

Wounded: Line judge Andrew McDougall shows off the one-inch long bloody cut on his left shin after the hoarding was kicked at him

Nalbandian won the first set on a tie-break but reacted angrily after being broken for the second time in the second set.
Having just lost the seventh game, the 6ft 7ins Nalbandian fiercely kicked an advertising board in front of line judge Andrew McDougall's chair.
As a result of his actions, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rules meant he was disqualified.
Speaking in his post-match interview, Nalbandian, a former world number three, said: 'I am sorry.
'I am sorry to do that. Sometimes we get very frustrated here on court. It is tough to control. It is a mistake.
'It is a tough moment to end a final like that. Sometimes we feel the pressure from the ATP. It is a mistake and I have to pay for that. Everybody makes mistakes.’

Contrite: David Nalbandian apologised for his conduct in his post-match interview with the BBC's Sue Barker

Cilic said it 'definitely' wasn't the way he wanted to win the match.
'It was very bitter,' he said.
'The match was set up with David Nalbandian a break down in the second set having won the first but things like that I can't change.
'I'm really sorry to the guys for this.
'To end like this is not easy.
'The match was getting hot and it's tough to see the final finishes like this.'

Winner: Marian Cilic described his win as 'very bitter given the circumstances'

Tournament organiser Chris Kermode said: 'It is just one of those things.
'In sport these things happen.
'It was an unbelievable final, the sun was out and it was shaping up to be the best match of the week.
'David Nalbandian ran across and in frustration kicked the panel out from under the line judge.
'It splintered and cut the linesman's leg, leaving him quite seriously injured.

WHO IS TENNIS STAR DAVID NALBANDIAN?

Age: 30
From: Unquillo, Cordoba, Argentina
Height: 6ft 7ins
Weight: 80kg
Plays: Right handed
Turned pro: 2000
World ranking: 39
Winner: Tennis Masters Cup 2005
Runner-up: Wimbledon, 2002

'Rules are rules.
'The ATP forced us to end the final.
'David is struggling to come to terms with it.
'He is very sorry for what he has done.'
Andrew Castle, commentating for the BBC, said: 'The final was really getting going.
'It was one hour 20 minutes of tennis that was building.
'There will be a hefty old fine for that and, more so, it will be more embarrassing for David Nalbandian.
'You should also think about the line judge who had a nasty old gash.
'It will be mortifying for Nalbandian.
'I don't think for a moment he will blame anyone else but himself.
'This one will go down in history.'

Champion: Croatian Marin Cilic holds the winner's trophy after David Nalbandian was disqualified for unsportsmanlike behaviour while one set up

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