The Davis Cup final is set for Sunday, featuring a showdown between Spain and Italy for the coveted championship. However, earlier this year, the tournament faced controversy when Zizou Bergs and Cristian Garin were involved in a disruptive on-court incident.

The incident occurred during the first round of qualifying between Belgium and Chile in February. Bergs, the Belgian player, inadvertently knocked Garin to the ground while celebrating a break of serve, leading to a halt in the match as Garin refused to continue despite being examined by a doctor. As a consequence, Garin received penalties, resulting in Belgium being declared the winner.

Following the clash, Garin expressed disappointment over the decision not to end the match. The intense competition seemed to favor Belgium, particularly after Bergs took a lead with a break of serve in the third set.

During the match, Bergs, in a moment of celebration, accidentally collided with Garin as he headed towards his team’s bench, causing Garin to fall. Despite being cleared by a doctor to continue playing, Garin declined, resulting in penalties and a win for Belgium.

In response to the incident, an ITF statement acknowledged the uniqueness of the situation and emphasized that the decision was made after careful consideration of all circumstances.

Garin later shared a photo on Instagram showing what appeared to be a black eye and criticized the ITF’s handling of the situation, expressing disbelief over his disqualification. Bergs received a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct, with the umpire describing the incident as an unfortunate accident.

Bergs expressed regret over the incident, explaining that it was unintentional and offering apologies to Garin and his team. Despite the unfortunate conclusion, both players acknowledged the need to respect each other on the court.

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