Croatian Marin Cilic won the Queen’s club grass title 6-7 (3), 4-3, in dramatic circumstances on Sunday as opponent David Nalbandian was disqualified for kicking at an advertising hoarding in anger and injuring a linesman.
The tenth-seeded Argentine, who was bidding for a first career grass title, had not played a grass final since Wimbledon a decade ago against Lleyton Hewitt.
Nalbandian’s eruption came as he was passed by Croatian Cilic to lose serve in the seventh game of the second set and then lashed out with a kick at the low hoarding surrounding the chair of linesman Andrew McDougall.
The fierce blow sent a wooden board into the official’s shin, producing a cut. ATP supervisor Tom Barnes immediately disqualified Nalbandian as some booing erupted at the west London club over the premature end of the match.
Keywords: Queen’s club
