Wimbledon doubles pair protest over bathroom break ban

Cuevas and Granollers staged a sit-down protest for 10 minutes and the tournament supervisor had to be called before Marray and Shamasdin finally clinched victory.

Published : Jul 05, 2016 14:25 IST

Pablo Cuevas (left) and Marcel Granollers (centre) argue with the match referee during the men's doubles third round match.

Spain's Marcel Granollers and Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay face being fined after a bizarre sit-down protest in a Wimbledon doubles match on Monday after they were refused permission to take a bathroom break.

The pair lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 14-12 to Britain's Jonny Marray and Canada's Adil Shamasdin, but the result was overshadowed by final set controversy.

Cuevas, 30, had been given a code violation earlier in the set after threatening to urinate into a ball can after he was refused permission to take a comfort break by French umpire Aurelie Tourte.

The pair then received a second warning and a point penalty when Cuevas smacked a ball out of court, giving Marray and Shamasdin match point.

Cuevas and Granollers staged a sit-down protest for 10 minutes and the tournament supervisor had to be called before Marray and Shamasdin finally clinched victory.

"It was during a changeover," Marray said. "Something to do with a can, something to do with bathroom breaks. I don't know what happened.

"I went to the bathroom twice during the match and obviously the fifth set was a long one. I think you should be allowed an extra toilet break if it's five sets."