### Patrick Mouratoglou Amused by Hubert Hurkacz’s Request to “Change the Chair Umpire” During French Open Clash with Grigor Dimitrov
In a surprising turn of events during the 2024 French Open, Hubert Hurkacz made an unusual request to change the chair umpire during his fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov. This unexpected move amused Serena Williams’ former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.
Their match, held at Stade Roland Garros’ Court Suzanne Lenglen, ended with Dimitrov securing a victory. The No. 10 seed triumphed 7-6(5), 6-4, 7-6(3), advancing to the quarterfinals of the Paris Major for the first time.
Both Dimitrov and Hurkacz are known for their sportsmanship and likable personalities on the ATP Tour. However, tensions flared in the third set during a changeover when Hurkacz, leading 6-5, revisited a controversial call from two games earlier. Chair umpire Alison Hughes had ruled one of Hurkacz’s forehands out, a decision the Pole disputed, mistakenly identifying a different mark on the clay.
Despite the involvement of the match supervisor and Dimitrov’s attempts to calm him, Hurkacz remained convinced of the umpire’s error. His frustration peaked when he yelled, “So bad!” towards his team box. Two games later, Hurkacz astonishingly requested Dimitrov to agree to replace the chair umpire. Dimitrov, visibly surprised, initially appeared to consider Hurkacz’s unusual plea but eventually walked over to Hurkacz’s bench to help calm him down.
Patrick Mouratoglou, who guided Serena Williams to 10 of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles, found the incident highly entertaining. Mouratoglou shared a video of the moment on X, captioning it: “When Hurkacz asks Dimitrov to change the chair umpire during the match,” followed by a laughing emoji.
After the match, Dimitrov downplayed the controversy, attributing Hurkacz’s request to the intensity of the moment. He empathized with Hughes and other umpires, acknowledging the challenging nature of making accurate calls in such high-stakes matches.
“I think the thing is we all can say very difficult things in the heat of a moment. I’m sure whatever he said, it was not meant in a bad way. Also, the umpires, they’re trying their best. It’s a tricky business out there when the ball gets so close to the line,” Dimitrov said during a press conference.
Dimitrov’s maiden French Open quarterfinal appearance will see him face World No. 2 Jannik Sinner, a favorite for the title. A victory over Sinner could set up a potential semifinal clash with either Carlos Alcaraz or Stefanos Tsitsipas, promising more thrilling action at Roland Garros.
