Tennis: Marcos Baghdatis calls out Rafael Nadal's rule-bending

Spain's Rafael Nadal smiles during his second round match against Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus at the Australian Open tennis championships. Photo / AP.

Marcos Baghdatis called out Rafael Nadal for appearing to toe the line of one of tennis' most blurry rules.

Technically players aren't allowed to receive coaching during a match, but you'll often see them look up at their camp and engage in some sort of communication in almost every match.

However, Baghdatis wasn't about to let it slide when he noticed Nadal getting too much information from his team. At the end of the first set he asked umpire Carlos Bernardes to intervene when it came to Rafa talking to his coach - his uncle Tony.

"Marcos Baghdatis went up to the chair umpire, had a chat and then Rafa was called over, a discussion was had and then Rafa headed to the box," Hamish McLachlan said.

"The chair umpire called Rafa over at the end of the set. Rafa has gone to his box and obviously told them the discussion he's had and I guess it was around coaching."
Jim Courier explained further.

"Marcos asked the chair umpire if he was hearing uncle Tony because Marcos was hearing him. He didn't like it. And (umpire) Carlos called Rafa to have a discussion.

"My guess is he said, 'If that keeps up you are going to get a warning'. He said, 'I don't want you talking to uncle Tony so go talk to uncle Tony and tell him not to talk to you.'"

Bernardes has a history of calling Nadal for time violations, and Nadal once asked the ATP not to have him as an umpire.

Nadal had too much class for Marcos Baghdatis as the Spaniard dispatched the 31-year-old 6-3 6-1 6-3.