Frances Tiafoe was accused of abusing the ATP’s bathroom break rules during his Wimbledon defeat to Cameron Norrie.
Great Britain’s Norrie came through an entertaining second-round match against America’s Tiafoe, winning 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 in just under three hours.
World number 12 Tiafoe started strongly but lost his way in the second and third sets and requested a toilet break after falling behind.
But it took a while for Tiafoe to make his way off court, with the 27-year-old searching for a fresh shirt and trainers in his bag before being ushered off Court One by an official.
Players are permitted two bathroom breaks in best-of-five matches at Grand Slams and rules state they are allowed three minutes, and an extra two if they need to change clothes.
There was almost eight minutes between the end of the third set and the start of the fourth and BBC commentators Andrew Castle and John Lloyd criticised Tiafoe for abusing the rule.
‘It looks like he’s going to go off the court but he’s taking a long time making his mind up,’ former Australian Open finalist Lloyd said.
‘He can’t go off now, he’s already taken three minutes here. You can’t wait that long before going off. If you have to go off you go off straightaway.
‘I think this is unfair. If you have a bathroom break, you go immediately. Get off!
‘We’ve seen it before with players going off when they’re trailing and they play completely different afterwards. Maybe that’s what he needed but I don’t agree with this at all, I think it’s wrong.’
ATP bathroom break rules
Rules allow players to have one bathroom break in best-of-three matches and two in best-of-five matches at Grand Slams.
In best-of-five matches, one break may be taken during the first three sets and the second can only be taken after the end of the third set.
The breaks are only permitted at the end of a set and if players spend too long off court they will be liable to time violations.
They are allowed three minutes for the toilet break and an extra two minutes if they need to change clothes, which they often do in hot conditions.
As Norrie continued to wait for Tiafoe to return to the court, Lloyd added: ‘This is ridiculous, I’m sorry, but this is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
‘The momentum of the game is gone. We had the French Open final go on for over five hours and there wasn’t one bathroom break.
‘Let’s put it this way, he wouldn’t have taken that long if he was ahead.’
Former British number one Castle added: ‘I’m not sure what the umpire can do but I actually think this is unfair on his opponent.
‘He’s not going to the loo is he, he’s taken new shirt and trainers. Maybe we should get an ironing board and a laundry back there too. I think this is actually very questionable.’
Norrie did not let the lengthy break get to him, winning the fourth and final set 7-5 to book a third-round clash against Jiri Lehecka or Mattia Bellucci.
After sealing his first win over a top-20 player at Wimbledon, the former British number one said: ‘It was an amazing atmosphere and we both played a really high level.
‘I just stayed calm and played point by point. It was so nice to play Frances at such a big match. I served really well in that last game and you guys we were amazing in that last game so thank you.
‘It’s so special playing here. You forget so quickly. You just feel goose bumps. It’s such a special court and such a special tournament.
‘I just walked out and smiled as much as I could. And then you have to go out to battle. I was really happy with my level today.’
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