Italy's Luciano Darderi faced a stunning defeat in the second round of the Indian Wells Open when the chair umpire ended his match against Australia's Rinky Hijikata due to a bizarre hindrance ruling. Darderi stopped play on match point, claiming crowd interference, but officials awarded the point to Hijikata after video review. The decision sparked immediate backlash from the crowd and online commentators.
The incident occurred on March 8, 2026, during the second round at the Indian Wells Open. Darderi trailed 4-6, 6-2, 5-4, 40-15 against Hijikata, the Australian qualifier. Under pressure, Darderi hit a defensive lob and pointed toward the crowd before halting mid-rally. Hijikata, advancing to finish the point, appeared confused as the chair umpire stopped play.
Officials reviewed video footage, applying the sport's hindrance rule. They found no evidence that Hijikata or his team caused the disruption, ruling that Darderi hindered the point by stopping. The umpire explained to Darderi that players cannot halt a rally due to crowd shouts, and the review confirmed the interference. At the net, Darderi told Hijikata that someone had called out, but Hijikata denied it. Broadcast audio captured a spectator's voice reacting as Darderi returned the ball, though the exact words were unclear.
The crowd voiced loud disapproval, and social media filled with criticism, including a tweet from user SK describing the drama: "Darderi was facing match point against him when he stopped the point, claiming that someone had spoken. After checking it on the VAR, they called hindrance and he lost the match." Many questioned the judgment, noting the rule focuses on video evidence rather than a player's belief or intention.
This event highlights ongoing debates about hindrance in tennis, where technology like video review aids accuracy but struggles with subjective calls. Similar controversies include Aryna Sabalenka's point loss at the Australian Open semifinal against Elina Svitolina for a mishit forehand, unrelated to her grunting, and Daniel Altmaier's shout of "no, no!" at the Rio Open, which cost him a point against Dušan Lajović despite a winning drop shot. Such cases underscore calls for clearer rules to safeguard the game's integrity.