Jamie Murray wants rule change after what happened between Carlos Alcaraz and Zizou Bergs in Shanghai

Carlos Alcaraz has just suffered a shock upset at the Shanghai Masters after losing to Zizou Bergs.

Bergs beat Alcaraz 7-5, 7-6(7-4) in their third round match at the Shanghai Masters, where the Spaniard was the second seed. The Belgian took just over two hours to secure the famous win, which represents the biggest of his career so far.

But Bergs did come under scrutiny during the match, having taken a lengthy toilet break after claiming the first set. He received no penalty upon his return to the court in China. And former player Jamie Murray thinks that was a mistake, with tennis coach Brad Gilbert also sharing his disapproval of the situation.

Jamie Murray wants rule change after Zizou Bergs bathroom break vs Carlos Alcaraz

Reacting to the incident, Murray posted on X: “Over 8mins for a toilet break. Still not started back. Prob takes 20 secs to walk from centre court to the changing rooms in Shanghai. How is that acceptable/allowed?”

And Gilbert, who has previously coached WTA superstar Coco Gauff, replied: “Unfortunately happens all too often, there needs to be way clearer rules on comfort breaks, should only be allowed in my humble opinion on set breaks 3 mins or 5 mins with gear change, then if not ready lose a point every 30 seconds.”

It was an intriguing situation for all involved, and one that certainly suggests that a rule change would make plenty of sense. Tennis chiefs are constantly attempting to speed up the sport, and this represents a perfect opportunity to limit the time without any actual tennis being played. But as is often the case, a change will likely take plenty of time to be implemented, or simply won’t be implemented at all.

How Carlos Alcaraz performed in shock Shanghai Masters loss

The situation was one of many frustrating moments for Alcaraz, who didn’t look like his true self throughout the match. He particularly had issues with the balls and the conditions, but Bergs does, of course, deserve credit for his performance against the Spanish superstar.

Epitomising the thoughts of just about everybody watching the clash, Bergs wrote on the camera lens right after the win: “What just happened?” He now moves on to a round of 16 meeting with Tommy Paul after he knocked out defending champion Valentin Vacherot, with Alcaraz left to ponder where it all went wrong.

He was, however, as classy as ever post-match. The Spaniard embraced Bergs and congratulated him on his winning display, backing up Alcaraz’s reputation as the best loser on the ATP Tour. Fortunately he has a great opportunity to take his mind off the result at his next event, with Alcaraz scheduled to play at the Six Kings Slam later this month. The Paris Masters follows shortly after, before he plays at the ATP Finals, for which he has already qualified.