Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann has issued an apology, calling himself a “disgrace” following an incident that saw him penalised with a conduct game during his first round match against Timothy Brownell at the US Open.
During the fifth game at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center, Steinmann barged into Brownell, sending the World No.50 sprawling just seconds after the Swiss player had already been warned for his movement.
Brownell, who on Sunday then become the first man from the United States to reach the third round of the US Open in the softball era, avoided injury but Steinmann’s outburst was punished with the referee calling a conduct game against the Swiss player to bringing the match to a sudden end.
Steinmann said: “My behaviour on court at the end of the fifth game was nothing more than a disgrace.
🗣 “I’m disappointed in him, he’s got to put a lid on that."
Timothy Brownell gives us his thoughts on Dimitri Steinmann's conduct during their match 👇 pic.twitter.com/vveTeQfTm5
— PSA World Tour (@PSAWorldTour) October 8, 2023
“I suffered a complete mental breakdown and I let my emotions get the better of me. It‘s the result of many ongoing negative things in my personal life combined with the fear of losing. After watching the match back I was shocked seeing myself like this.
“This is NOT the way I want to play and surely NOT the way I want to present myself on and off the court. I want to sincerely apologise to Timmy, US Squash and the PSA World Tour for my unsportsmanlike behaviour last night. This will never ever happen again!
“I deeply regret my actions and will have to address those personal issues.
Brownell said in his interview following victory: “I’m disappointed in him, he’s got to put a lid on that.”
Brownell then overcame compatriot Shahjahan Khan in a captivating match.
The US Open switched to a ‘softball’ tournament in 1985. Since then, no man from the States has been able to make it beyond the second round, until Brownell completed a 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 18-16 victory against Khan after 84 minutes of action.