Cristian Garin is unloading at the ITF, claiming they had no interest in checking out on him following “a malicious act” that occurred during last week’s Davis Cup action.
Moments after claiming a break to go 6-5 up in the third set of their match, Zizou Bergs jumped in excitement as he was approaching the Belgian bench.
As the Belgian player was in the air, he collided with the Chilean and appeared to hit him in the face with his shoulder.
Lo que acaba de pasar entre Bergs y Garin no tiene ningún tipo de sentido.pic.twitter.com/OKr4nLINOd
— Tiempo De Tenis (@Tiempodetenis1) February 2, 2025
While Bergs was handed a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct, the Chilean team wanted him disqualified – but it didn’t happen.
Garin did receive medical treatment – and was cleared to play – but he and the rest of his team remained adamant that the home favorite player’s act warranted a default.
After the Chilean received three consecutive time violations for refusing to play, Bergs automatically ended on the winning side and Belgium also completed a 3-1 victory over Chile in their qualifiers tie.
Garin: The act itself looked malicious… The ITF didn’t even ask how I was
“I think we deserve something—I don’t know what—but it’s crazy that the ITF didn’t ask how I was doing,” the former world No. 17 told Chile’s Radio Pauta.
“He was completely out of control, and in the collision, he hit me in the eye after three hours of playing at 170 bpm. Getting hit in the face like that…
“The act itself looked malicious because it was totally avoidable. I was really upset.
“I didn’t understand how it all happened, that he had actually come and hit me… it was very strange.”
Garin also suggested that he didn’t get properly checked by the doctor.
“He asked if I could play, and I told him, ‘Aren’t you going to examine me?’ When someone gets hit in the head, they usually bring a flashlight to check, and this was eight minutes after I got hit,” he added.
Also, the 2022 Wimbledon quarterfinalist wondered what would have happened it Bergs hit the chair umpire instead of him.
Tennis World USA