Rublev will keep Dubai points, despite default in semis

Andrey Rublev will maintain both the ranking points and prize money acquired at the Dubai Tennis Championships, despite being disqualified from the tournament for unsportsmanlike conduct. This decision follows an appeal to the ATP.

Rublev faced disqualification from the chair umpire after a Russian-speaking official accused him of using an obscenity while yelling at a line judge during his semi-final match against Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik on Friday. The ATP, in a statement on Monday, explained that the appeals committee found customary penalties associated with a default—such as the loss of ranking points and prize money for the entire tournament—would be disproportionate in this instance.

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At the time of the disqualification, Bublik led 6-7(4) 7-6(5) 6-5, and he was declared the winner despite expressing a willingness to continue. Bublik later lost the final to France’s Ugo Humbert. The appeal considered testimonies from players and officials, along with a review of video and audio material, and affirmed Rublev’s $36,400 fine for the code violation.