World No. 38 Ugo Humbert, stunned by a first-round Australian Open exit last month, stood one point from back-to-back wins at the Open Occitanie in Montpellier. Victory seemed inevitable until a baffling, split-second decision halted his momentum and spectacularly flipped the script.

Ugo Humbert, the fifth seed in Montpellier, started strongly against veteran Adrian Mannarino in the R16 match. He edged a tight first set 7-6(4), showing composure and control in the key moments.

Mannarino responded with experience and patience. He raised his level in the second set and took it 6-3, forcing the match into a tense deciding third set.

The final set went down to a tiebreak, with both players trading points under pressure. Humbert moved ahead 4-3 and had the serve, putting him firmly within touching distance of victory.

Then came an unexpected moment. Humbert suddenly walked to his courtside bag. He appeared to check his phone for a few seconds, offered a brief apologetic gesture to the chair umpire, and returned to play.

The interruption proved costly. Humbert lost the next four points in succession. Mannarino seized the opportunity, closed out the tiebreak, and booked his place in the quarterfinal.

Stopping play to check a phone during a match is highly unusual. Such moments typically happen after matches, not at decisive points when concentration and rhythm are critical.

Modern players often reach for their phones once matches are over. Australian Open champion Carlos Alcaraz was seen using his phone as officials prepared for the trophy presentation after the final.

Australian Open junior champion Ksenia Efremova also checked her phone on court. She immediately joined a video call with her mother in France while celebrating her title with her team.

There have been lighter incidents, too. Corentin Moutet’s phone alarm rang during a French Open match against Novak Djokovic in 2024. 

However, on a strict note, checking phones mid-match has also led to unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

Aryna Sabalenka penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after photographing the ball in Stuttgart

Last year, Aryna Sabalenka caused controversy at the Stuttgart Open. During her quarter-final win over Elise Mertens, she photographed a disputed ball mark on the court.

The incident happened at a tense moment. World number one Sabalenka disagreed with an “out” call while facing a break point against Mertens.

At the changeover, with Sabalenka trailing 4-3, she asked umpire Miriam Bley to inspect the mark. When the umpire finished checking, Sabalenka walked over to look at it herself.

She then took a photograph of the mark using a phone belonging to a member of her team. The action earned her a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct from Bley.

Despite the warning, Sabalenka stayed composed. She immediately broke back, regained control of the match, and went on to win 6-4, 6-1.

After the match, Sabalenka shook hands with the umpire. In her on-court interview, she reflected on the moment, saying, “When I gave her a handshake, there was a very interesting look and a very strong handshake. Never had it before.”

A similar incident later involved Alexander Zverev. The top seed received a warning at the Madrid Open after taking a photo of a ball mark on clay.

Zverev had complained about electronic line-calling during his third-round match. He told umpire Mohamed Lahyani there was a “malfunction” after a shot from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was called in.

Zverev then took his phone from his bag and photographed the mark. He was warned for unsportsmanlike conduct but later won 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0).

After the match, Zverev shared the image on Instagram, writing, “Just gonna leave this one here. This was called in. Interesting call.”

With such incidents happening time and again, the moment in Montpellier was a clear reminder of how deeply digital tools have reshaped modern tennis.