Russian Daniil Medvedev has denied making an obscene gesture towards the crowd, after losing 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(2) to Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the Paris Masters second round.
World No.3 Medvedev walked off court at the end of the match, examining his hand, before pointing his middle finger at the stands.
Renowned for his on-court outbursts, former US Open champion Medvedev was booed by the crowd during the second set for throwing his racket, before receiving a code violation for delaying the match, when he sat down in protest.
"No, I didn't," Medvedev said about the gesture. "I just checked my nails.
"It's nothing more than that. Why would I do that to this beautiful crowd in Paris?
"The crowd didn't stop booing. I have a lot of French friends and they don't seem to like very much this tournament.
"Maybe there is a reason. I played much better here without the crowd," added Medvedev, who won in Paris in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
World No.17 Bulgarian Dimitrov hit 48 winners and needed seven matchpoints to reach the third round, a week after Medvedev beat him in the second round of the Vienna Open.
Medvedev has a particularly spicy relationship with US Open fans, where he makes an annual event of rubbing them the wrong way.
"If you weren’t here, guys, I would probably lose the match," he taunted the New York crowd in 2019. "I was so tired.
"I want all you to know when you sleep tonight I won today because of you.
"The energy you've given me right now, guys, I think it will be enough for my five next matches. The more you do this, the more I will win for you guys."
In September, he told fans: "Can you shut up guys?
"Are you stupid or what?"
Reuters/Newshub
