German Mats Rosenkranz disqualified for taking mid-match shower

The world number 358, German tennis player Mats Rosenkranz, was disqualified from his match against Pietro Orlando Fellin at the Crete Challenger IV for taking a shower during the match, Report informs via Sportstar.

Rosenkranz had won the first set 7-5, before going to the toilet to take a shower. This not allowed in tennis in order to ensure strict enforcement of anti-doping laws.

Once the 26-year-old returned to the court, he was informed that he had been disqualified from the match, and that Fellin had been awarded victory by a walkover. Though the German attempted to explain his actions, he was unsuccessful in his attempts to overturn the decision.

Rosenkranz had qualified for the match after defeating Pavlos Tsitsipas, brother of Stefanos Tsitsipas, in three sets in the previous round. Fellin will now face Frenchman Laurent Lokoli in the next round.

The German tennis player is not the only tennis player to have fallen foul of this rule. In 2022, American Nicolas Moreno De Alboran was disqualified from his match against Federico Delbonis for the same reason.