US Open Chair Umpire Suspended For Two Events, ATP Chief Confirms

Mohamed Lahyani, the chair umpire involved in the controversy involving Nick Kyrgios at the 2018 US Open, has been suspended for two ATP tour events in the light of his actions.

Lahyani, who was officiating the Australian’s second round clash against Frenchman Pierre Hughes-Herbert, was heard encouraging Kyrgios during the match, and his words looked to have certainly turned the tide as the latter went on to win the game in four sets despite being down a set and a break before the pep talk.

The chair umpire got out of his seat during a change over and was heard telling the player “I want to help you” and reportedly also said “I’ve seen your matches: you’re great for tennis. Nick, I know this is not you.”

Lahyani’s words came after it looked like Kyrgios was ready to throw in the towel after having lost the first set and was trailing in the second 3-0. However, after the talk he seemed galvanized as he went on to win the second set 7-6 and then take the next two 6-3, 6-0.

Kyrgios’ opponent was clearly not pleased after the match and made it clear it was not the umpire’s job to coach the player, while admitting his talk clearly had an effect on the outcome of the game. The USTA, the body that governs the US Open, admonished the umpire for his actions but allowed him to continue to officiate in the tournament.

But the ATP have investigated the matter as Lahyani is one of seven full-time chair umpires employed by them and have deemed his behavior “to have compromised the impartiality that is required of an official.”

"Mohamed is a world-class and highly respected official. However, his actions during the match crossed a line that compromised his own impartiality as a chair umpire," Gayle Bradshaw, ATP executive vice president of rules and competition, said in Tuesday's statement, according to BBC Sport.

"Although well-intended, his actions were regrettable and cannot go without disciplinary action on our own Tour. We know that he will learn from this experience and we look forward to welcoming him back in October," he said.

Lahyani will now miss two upcoming events – the China Open in Beijing that starts on October 1 and the Shanghai Masters Series event that begins the week after. He will return to his chair at the Stockholm Open later that month.

Twenty-time men’s singles Grand Slam champion Roger Federer also agreed the chair umpire’s actions were out of order. The Swiss has said Lahyani had no right to get of his chair to talk to Kyrgios, and believes it have an effect on the outcome of the game.

“It’s not the umpire’s role to go down from the chair,” Federer said, as quoted on the Sydney Morning Herald. “I get what he was trying to do. He behaves the way he behaves and then you decide if you like it or you don’t like it.

“But you don’t go speak like that. I don’t know what he said, I don’t care what he said. It was not just about how you’re feeling, ‘Oh, I am not feeling well.' He was down there for too long. It was a conversation and conversations change mindsets,” he added. “That’s why it won’t happen again and everybody knows that.”