A bizarre incident unfolded on Court 18 at Wimbledon yesterday when Jordan Thompson's cap fell off during a crucial serve against Luciano Darderi.
The Australian managed to catch his hat mid-air and continued playing with it in his left hand whilst wielding his racket with his right.
Thompson went on to win the seven-stroke rally with a backhand volley at the net, securing the first set 6-4 at 40-15.
The unusual sequence sparked immediate controversy as Darderi believed the point should have been replayed under the hindrance rule.
Jordan Thompson's cap fell off during his serve against Luciano Darderi
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The Italian player immediately sprinted towards chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani in protest, arguing that the hindrance law should have been applied.
Darderi raged: "It is a rule, you are not allowed to play with the cap like this. You are not."
During the heated exchange, Darderi removed his own white hat and yelled, "It's the rule!" whilst pointing in Thompson's direction.
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Luciano Darderi was enraged by the incident, claiming the point should have been replayed
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Lahyani made a phone call to verify the ruling but maintained his decision that no rule had been broken.
Frustrated by the verdict, Darderi angrily hurled his racquet towards his courtside bag, prompting gasps and some boos from the Court 18 crowd.
Former Wimbledon doubles champion Todd Woodbridge explained the ruling during BBC commentary, stating that whilst the umpire could have called for a replay due to hindrance, Thompson's continuous motion in catching the hat meant play could continue.
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"You get one opportunity for that, if your hat falls off your head or if your ball falls out your pocket, they will replay it once," Woodbridge said.
He added that if it happens a second time, the point automatically goes to the opponent.
Woodbridge also noted that Darderi could have stopped play by raising his hand immediately, but he couldn't get the point replayed because "he did not say anything in the first place."
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Jordan Thompson was victorious over Luciano Darderi in the end
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After the match, Thompson defended the ruling, saying: "I mean, my hat's fallen off before, and I know what the rules are. It didn't hinder him; it hindered me. So I don't know what he was complaining about."
The Australian, who advanced to the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory, confirmed it was the first time he could remember playing whilst holding his cap.
Darderi later reflected: "It didn't seem normal to me to play a point with a hat in your hand. It was strange. But it was just one point. It didn't change the match."
Both players ultimately agreed the incident hadn't affected the outcome, with Thompson noting: "It's not like it was 5-all in the fifth, deuce."
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