Camilo Ugo Carabelli has issued a statement after he was disqualified from a Challenger Tour event for walking off the court during a match. The incident took place in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where Carabelli was facing fifth seed Joao Lucas Reis da Silva for a place in the semi-finals. The match lasted only 10 games before Carabelli packed his bags and left the court without saying a word.
Match Abandoned After 10 Games
Carabelli was unhappy with the condition of the clay, having slipped on his last point of the match before returning to the locker room. Reis da Silva did not immediately realise what had happened and was preparing for his next service game when it became apparent that he had been handed a free pass into the semi-finals.
Carabelli has since apologised for his behaviour, writing on social media: "The last thing I want is to disrespect the Challenger in Guayaquil and its people. I've known everyone since I was 13 years old and I highlight the enormous effort they put in throughout the entire week to get the courts in the best possible condition despite the rain."
Player Admits Mistake
He continued: "My intention was never to withdraw from the match, and certainly not in that way. I felt that playing in those conditions was a risk, but in that moment, I didn't fully grasp the consequences or heed the referee's warnings. My reaction was poor. I wasn't thinking clearly. I'm not saying this to excuse myself. I was wrong in how I handled the situation. It overwhelmed me and I made a mistake by walking off the court. I apologise to those affected by my attitude."
Because he was disqualified from the tournament, Carabelli will not receive any ranking points or prize money despite reaching the quarter-finals.
Previous Retirement Incident
Earlier this year, he made headlines at another Challenger Tour event when he retired from his match against Moez Echargui in Cancun, Mexico. The pair faced each other in the second round and Echargui was just one game away from victory when Carabelli decided to throw in the towel.
