Tempers flared at the Girona Challenger on Thursday as Pablo Carreno Busta shoved an umpire during a heated dispute. The former world No. 10 wasn’t happy with a call in the final set tiebreak and approached the official, refusing to play until he could speak to the supervisor.

There was a lengthy delay as Carreno Busta continued his heated discussion with umpire Ali Katebi, repeatedly claiming he was “so bad”. The Spaniard was not disqualified for his actions and went on to win the match, booking his spot in the quarter-final.

No. 6 seed Carreno Busta was pulled into a fierce battle against Iliyan Radulov in Girona. He stormed through the opening set but Radulov forced a decider, which eventually went to a tiebreak.

Early in the breaker, a line judge called one of Radulov’s shots out but the chair umpire came down to the court to check the ball mark in the clay and overruled the call, claiming it was in.

Carreno Busta erupted, marching to the side of the court to confront the umpire, who was walking back to his chair. “But why? Why in this moment?” the Spaniard asked.

Katebi turned around to face Carreno Busta, and former world No. 10 pushed him while asking him to call the supervisor.

“Call the supervisor. Call the supervisor. Give me a warning but call the supervisor,” he persisted.

The umpire explained that Carreno Busta needed to give him a reason in order to see the supervisor. “Don’t shout at me, okay? What do you want to say to the supervisor, then I’ll call it. For the ball, I cannot call the supervisor,” Katebi said.

“You cannot do this. Because you are so bad, and the ball is out. They called out the ball,” Carreno Busta replied.

Katebi reiterated that Carreno Busta needed another reason and urged him to continue the match, but the seven-time title winner refused, adding: “Call the supervisor because I’m not agreeing that you are sitting in this chair. We cannot continue.”

The umpire then handed Carreno Busta a warning for pushing him. “I have to give you a code now for the first one because of touching me. You have to give me a reason to call the supervisor,” he told the world No. 109

But Carreno Busta refused to back down. “Okay, give me a warning. I don’t want to play like this because you are so bad and you cannot sit in the chair,” he said, remaining at his bench instead of resuming the match.

The supervisor eventually came to the court and, after a 10-minute delay, they agreed to replay the point and Carreno Busta continued the match. He eventually sealed a 6-2 5-7 7-6(4) and set up a meeting with Marin Cilic in the quarter-final.