Gaston fined €133,000(!) for deliberately cheating at Madrid Masters

[Fabresque]

Hugo Gaston just incurred a massive fine by the ATP for purposely throwing a ball on court during a point in order to force a let. This was done on Coric’s set point. The umpire told him off and Coric went on to win 6-3 6-3.

Still, €133,000 seems insanely high.

Incident in question

https://twitter.com/x/status/1660596460101017601

EDIT: Apparently he was given a stern warning and another fine at the tail end of last season for attempting to pull the same thing. The usual limit to a fine at a M1000 is €60,000, but on the chance that an incident is repeated within the calendar year, the ATP decides the fine. Not the tournament. He’s lost all his YTD prize money due to the fine.

 

[Fabresque]

The conversion to USD is $150,000 for those interested in knowing.

 

[Terenigma]

He intentionally cheated and according to the article I read on this, he has previously done this before and been warned so this is not an accident. Fine is justified although again from the article it seems the fine will be halved if he can stay clean for a year but I see nothing wrong here. Cheater cheated and got punished.

 

[Rozroz]

too bad, i liked him in some way. what a loser

 

[BauerAlmeida]

Deserved for being a clown.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Without having read the article could you briefly explain what he did exactly?
Looking at the video you posted I see him gently tossing a ball to the right.
It didn't even look like the point was being played.

A little more explanation of his offense would be appreciated.

 

[middleballs]

There’s already a thread with a link to the details.

 

[Airspun]

no one prosecutes harmelss crackppots like gaston and cheats coric

 

[Mark-Touch]

There’s already a thread with a link to the details.

I was asking for a Cole's notes version. Anyone?

 

[Airspun]

I was asking for a Cole's notes version. Anyone?

cliff's notes? he rolled a ball as coric was serving, DB move

 

[Mark-Touch]

cliff's notes? he rolled a ball as coric was serving, DB move

I still don't get it. After watching that brief clip it wasn't as if Coric was in the middle of his serve when he did it.
He did it before the serve. It was so lame.
ANYONE could see him toss the ball.

What was he trying to achieve? Disrupt Coric's serve routine?
Coric just walked away after he did it.

I'm still confused by Gaston's move.

 

[Airspun]

I still don't get it. After watching that brief clip it wasn't as if Coric was in the middle of his serve when he did it.
He did it before the serve. It was so lame.
ANYONE could see him toss the ball.

What was he trying to achieve? Disrupt Coric's serve routine?
Coric just walked away after he did it.

I'm still confused by Gaston's move.

incorrect coric WAS in the serve routine and Gaston clearly did it too distract and hinder him like that band hinder lips of an angel

 

[KC!]

"French tennis player Hugo Gaston was fined 144,000 euros (about $155,000) by the ATP Tour — more than he’s collected in prize money so far in 2023 — for pulling a ball out of pocket during play"

 

[lrdrdy]

His yearly salary for one fine? Barbaric, insane. ATP execs are going to hell

 

[insideguy]

That was possibly the weakest attempt at cheating I have ever seen lol.

 

[Mark-Touch]

incorrect coric WAS in the serve routine and Gaston clearly did it too distract and hinder him like that band hinder lips of an angel

But his entire move was ABSURD!
So he disrupts his serve rhythm.
The serve needs to be replayed.
What's Gaston's next ridiculous move going to be?

I mean really. This was the epitome of STUPID!
Was he trying to be funny?

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Comical.

 

[WeekendTennisHack]

How is this any different from taking too much time between points knowing the ump is too scared to give you a warning?

 

[tennis3]

Really no different than what NBA, NFL and Soccer Players do on a regular basis. And they're praised for it.

All are just trying to fool the refs to get a call in their advantage. In other sports, if you don't do these things you get criticized

But tennis culture is more like golf culture. In golf, if you might have touched a grain of sand with our club, or the ball could have conceivably moved a millimeter as you walked by, you are expected to call a penalty on yourself (or get defaulted).

In basketball if you said "no ref, he didn't really foul me, I just acted like I got hit by a truck and flopped around like a fish", you'll get kicked off the team and ostracized by the league for "not trying hard enough".

 

[bogdan101]

Looks like they were in the middle of the point, Gaston was serving, not Coric.

 

[tennis_pro]

The cheating is pretty bad, but 133k is just mind blowing even if it's recidivism.

 

[Mark-Touch]

incorrect coric WAS in the serve routine and Gaston clearly did it too distract and hinder him like that band hinder lips of an angel

Are you sure Airspun?

It is very rare that a receiver holds a ball on his person. All balls are usually on the server's side.

 

[bogdan101]

You can see in the score box that Gaston was serving.

 

[big ted]

i dont get it.. didnt kyrgios & paire used to do stuff like this and get fined maybe $13,000?
they didnt call it cheating tho they called it tanking

 

[Mr.Lob]

He should have just threatened to kill a linesperson by cramming a tennis ball down their throat. Would have only been fined $80,000.

 

[TennisTurkey]

Zverev was fined less than that for his attack on an umpire, the ATP's disciplinary process is difficult to understand.

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

He intentionally cheated and according to the article I read on this, he has previously done this before and been warned so this is not an accident. Fine is justified although again from the article it seems the fine will be halved if he can stay clean for a year but I see nothing wrong here. Cheater cheated and got punished.

A fine is justified yes, a $150,000 fine is not. Thats so insane... this situation was just silly and comical its not like he went over and punched coric in the face

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

His yearly salary for one fine? Barbaric, insane. ATP execs are going to hell

Who gets the $150,000 where does that money go?

 

[Serve&Bash]

This is absolutely hilarious. He went THAT far to avoid a double break.

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

This is absolutely hilarious. He went THAT far to avoid a double break.

I know right?

 

[Gerco]

Adidas must be regretting signing him.

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

THats a little excessive isn't it? These aren't pro basketball or football players. Thats alot of money for a tennis player LOL

 

[nolefam_2024]

THats a little excessive isn't it? These aren't pro basketball or football players. Thats alot of money for a tennis player LOL

Tennis players win big money as well. His net worth is around 2 mil. How many 22 year olds have 2 mil net worth. And how much of it is because he won cheating?

 

[GrassCourtFan]

But his entire move was ABSURD!
So he disrupts his serve rhythm.
The serve needs to be replayed.
What's Gaston's next ridiculous move going to be?

I mean really. This was the epitome of STUPID!
Was he trying to be funny?

It wasn't during Coric's serve. Coric was backing up to hit an overhead from the baseline, and Gaston tossed the ball on to the court so it would be called a let.

 

[WYK]

 

[notsopro]

He hits an underhand serve and then goes for the let... what a pathetic little man.