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The match became intense when Carballes Baena clashed with O’Connell for seeking help from the physio during a medical timeout for a neck issue.
O’Connell & Carballes Baena Engage In Heated Exchange At Indian Wells (Picture credit: AFP)
Controversial scenes erupted at the ongoing Indian Wells Masters as a heated argument ensued between Aussie tennis player Christopher O’Connell and Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena in their opening round encounter of the tournament.
O’Connell and Carballes Baena faced each other for the second time on the ATP Tour, with the former bagging a 6-3, 0-6, 6-1 win against Carballes Baena to move into the second round and set up a clash with 28th seed Matteo Berrettini.
The match became intense when Carballes Baena clashed with O’Connell for seeking help from the physio during a medical timeout for a neck issue.
“Are you okay now? Earlier, you couldn’t serve and took an MTO,” Carballes Baena said. “Am I not allowed to take treatment from the physio?” O’Connell asked.
The Aussie and Carballes Baena had another argument during their handshake at the net for around 10 seconds, initiated by the latter. He has had a reputation for arguing with his opponents after losing a match. Watch the video here:
O’Connell and Carballes Baena played each other in the first round of the Italian Open last year, where the latter was given a walkover victory over the Aussie.
In the second round, O’Connell and Berrettini’s encounter will be their third meeting at the ATP Tour, with the latter having a dominant H2H record against O’Connell at 2-0.
The Aussie and Berrettini first met in the Shanghai Masters first round, where the latter won 7-6, 7-6.
All 32 men’s and women’s seeds have first-round byes in this combined ATP Masters and WTA 1000 tournament, the Indian Wells.
Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka was bundled out of the first round at Indian Wells on Wednesday, falling 6-4, 6-4 to Camila Osorio in the Japanese star’s first tournament since injury forced her out of the Australian Open.
Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 56th in the world, looked rusty against the 52nd-ranked Colombian, struggling to find the range on her powerful groundstrokes on a chilly night in the California desert.
