Fabio Fognini said a “bomb should go off” at Wimbledon as he crashed out of the third round on Saturday.
The Italian 12th seed was beaten by US world No 94 Tennys Sandgren 6-3, 7-6 (12/10), 6-3 on the compact Court 14.
“It’s fair to play here? Damned English, really. Damned, really. Wish a bomb would explode on this club. A bomb should explode here,” he fumed in Italian.
Speaking afterwards, Fognini, who is no stranger to on-court outbursts, continued voicing his irritation.
“The court was not really good,” the 32-year-old said.
“Most of the time when you’re on court, you’re frustrated. For sure, I was not happy about my performance today because I was knowing I have a lot to win in this case, because was I thinking I have a good chance to win.
“Something happen on court, if I feel sorry for somebody, I have to say sorry. Now I have to be focused on the second half of the season.”
He added: “I say sorry. If somebody feel offended, I say sorry. No problem.”
Had he won, he would have gone on to face unseeded American Sam Querrey for a place in the quarter-finals.
Despite being the fourth-biggest men’s seed playing on Saturday, his match was shunted onto the lowly Court 14, an outside court with just 318 seats.
“That’s the schedule. Schedule like that. Nothing to say,” Fognini said.