Tempers flared dramatically at the French Open qualifiers on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, after Spain’s Pedro Martínez became involved in a heated confrontation with Japanese teenager Rei Sakamoto following their match in Paris.

Martinez, the favourite heading into the contest, defeated the 19-year-old in straight sets, winning 6-2, 7-5 to progress to the second round of qualifying.

Despite showing flashes of brilliance and breaking the Spaniard four times, Sakamoto’s 36 unforced errors ultimately proved costly as the experienced clay-court specialist controlled the key moments of the match.

However, the real drama unfolded after the final point.
What is usually a routine handshake at the net quickly turned tense as Martinez appeared visibly angry during the exchange.

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The Spaniard repeatedly confronted the teenage Japanese player while Sakamoto attempted to calm the situation down.

Moments later, the argument escalated into pushing and shoving, forcing veteran chair umpire John Bloom to step in and separate both players before the incident became physical.

In videos circulating online, Martinez could be heard angrily asking Sakamoto: “You wanna go outside?” as tensions continued to rise on court.

The exact cause of the confrontation remains unclear, with neither player publicly commenting on the incident after the match.

The altercation adds to a growing list of fiery moments involving Martinez in recent years.

The Spaniard has previously been involved in tense exchanges during matches against players such as Holger Rune and Luciano Darderi.

Despite the controversy, Martinez moves on to face Britain’s Arthur Fery in the next round.

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