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2 min read

'I can retire, I don't care' – Medvedev threatens to quit semi-final in umpire row

A controversial line-call decision led to Daniil Medvedev threatening to "retire" from his Shanghai Masters semi-final against Rafael Jodar on Saturday.
'I can retire, I don't care' – Medvedev threatens to quit semi-final in umpire row

'I will retire' - Controversial line call enrages Medvedev

With Jodar 4-2 ahead and serving at deuce, the pair embarked on a long rally. It ended with an angled forehand from the Spaniard forcing Medvedev to stretch to return, only for his reply to be called out.

However, Medvedev was not happy that his shot was the one which was shown on the big screen using the ball-tracking technology, and not Jodar's because, in his opinion, he believed it might have been out beforehand.

On the TV coverage of the match, the 30-year-old could be heard asking umpire Adel Nour why Jodar's shot was also not displayed.

"Daniil, according to the protocol, only the last shot is the one shown," Nour explained. "This is concerning the last one, that's why we're showing it immediately."

But the world No. 6 was not to be deterred.

"It's out. This is the last shot of the rally," Medvedev said. "I want to see it. I thought it was out, that's why I missed. I'm just asking you to see the ball, that's it."

Nour explained that the laws do not allow him to "practically" fulfil Medvedev's request, but he continued to protest.

"This is the last shot of the rally. … You know I'm not going to go away until you show it," he said. "This is the last shot of the rally, the ball I thought it was out, I missed, I want to see the ball.

"But I'm not moving. I can retire, I don't care. The ATP gives me [a] fine anyway. I will retire. Show me the ball. Otherwise, I am out of this court."

Moments later, the umpire could be heard radioing to another member of staff, asking for the shot in question to be shown with the ball-tracking software on the big screen.

And, as Medvedev requested, it was displayed for all to see, with Jodar's shot just clipping the line.

As the replay was shown, the Russian was shown nodding as he appeared to finally accept the outcome before the match resumed.

The outburst came in a straight-sets defeat for Medvedev, losing 6-3 6-4 and meaning the 20-year-old Jodar reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final.

He also became the first man born in 2006 or later to reach a Masters 1000 final, as confirmed by the ATP.

"It was a very tough match," Jodar said in his on-court interview after beating Medvedev. "In the first set all the games were very close, break points for him and break points for me.

"I am super happy with how I handled the important moments in the first set and how I served and returned. Daniil is a very tough player. He played great today, so I had to play my best level to play him."

Jodar will take on his compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Sunday's final, after the Spaniard beat Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final.

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It was published on October 17, 2026 and last updated on October 18, 2026. The time of the story is shown in your own time zone on the page.

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