Stefanos Tsitsipas found himself at the center of controversy during his Mallorca Championships Round of 32 match against Ignacio Buse. The Greek tennis player questioned the quality of the balls in the middle of the faceoff.
What happened?
Tsitsipas halted a rally on a break point and argued that the ball had become too soft and unplayable. He did not complain about the ball being cracked or damaged, which are the usual grounds for halting a point.
The ball is unplayable, Tsitsipas said. It's soft. It's not possible to play with this ball. This is a soft ball. There is no chance this is playable. Zero percent.
Why it matters for Stefanos Tsitsipas
According to the rules, the rally is halted only when the ball is broken or unfit for play, with the damage being visible. Following the tennis player's claim, the chair umpire ruled that Tsitsipas had incorrectly stopped the point, giving a point to the Peruvian player.
Tsitsipas' complaint proved costly as Buse successfully held serve. Tsitsipas' run came to an end after Buse defeated him 7-6(4), 6-3 on June 18.
What comes next?
The loss marks a setback for Tsitsipas, who had been looking to make a strong showing at the Mallorca Championships. The Greek tennis player will look to bounce back from the defeat and regain his form in upcoming matches.
Paula Badosa, Tsitsipas' ex-girlfriend, recently spoke out about their toxic breakup, stating that she has been through many breakups in her life, but when there are toxic things around, everything becomes much more complicated than a normal breakup. Badosa and Tsitsipas ended their relationship after their appearances at Wimbledon in July 2025.
The topic of their break has made rounds on social media frequently. Badosa highlighted her struggles to recover from her bitter breakup with Tsitsipas, stating that getting over the toxic things around her hasn't been easy, but they're things you need to go through as a woman and now I feel strong again.
Tsitsipas will look to put the controversy and personal issues behind him and focus on his upcoming matches. With a strong showing at the Mallorca Championships, Tsitsipas had been looking to make a push for a higher ranking, but the loss to Buse has set him back.
The Greek tennis player will look to regroup and come back stronger in his next match. Tsitsipas' fans will be watching closely to see how he bounces back from the defeat and controversy surrounding the ball quality incident.