The Finnish tennis team left fans a game short during their match with Ireland last Sunday, after abandoning the court with the score 3-1. Finland refused to play the final ‘dead rubber’ once the outcome had been decided, with the home side winning a third. They cited injuries to all remaining players but the independent medical officer disputes this.
Referee Clair Wood intends to report the incident to the Davis Cup Committee. The Board of Tennis Ireland has yet to decide whether to lodge a formal complaint, and if they do a financial penalty might be incurred by the Finnish tennis team.
The Euro-Africa Zone Group 11 match which took place at Castleknock ended in rancour, with fans disappointed that the final game did not go ahead, despite it being stipulated in the rules.
The event wasn’t a complete disappointment for the Finns however, as Jarkko Nieminen and Henri Kontinen combined on Saturday to beat Sam Barry and Colin O’Brien 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, giving the Finns an unassailable 3-0 lead in the doubles tie.
The Davis Cup is the world’s premier men’s tennis tournament involving more than 130 countries. Finland and Ireland are grouped in the Level 2 Euro Zone competing for wild card entries for the tier 1 World Group. The Czech Republic are the current champions.