Watch: Tense handshake between Arthur Fils and Stefanos Tsitsipas after Rome Open tie as umpire forced to intervene

The umpire was forced to intervene in the clash between Arthur Fils and Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Rome Open as the Frenchman moved through in a superb 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 win but it gleamed a tense handshake between the pair.

The umpire had to come down from his chair and intervene while fans jeered and whistled presumably Tsitsipas who seemed to take umbrage despite hitting Fils with a return earlier in the tie.

No.18 seed Tsitsipas tagged Fils during the second set and the 20-year-old used it as fuel for the rest of the match to seal a superb win after going a set down.

It was a surprise as nothing happened at the time but at the net, they had an initially cordial handshake which turned sour. The Greek star initiated a chat with Fils about hitting him and it boiled over.

“It’s not a problem but you touch me,” Fils replied, explaining that he used it as motivation. “I need to find that energy you know? No, there is nothing wrong with you.”

But despite this tense handshake, there was no issue on Fils' side who lauded his opponent. “I like him. He’s a great guy. A great champion. It was a bit tight in the middle of the 2nd set. He went for my body. It’s part of the game. There’s nothing wrong with it. I tried to find a way to fight. I found this kind of excuse to go and to fight. Ok, he told me at the end he wasn’t going for my body. I told him ‘I know it.’ It’s ok. It’s all good. I just needed to find a way to fight.”

“That was a joke. I told him at the net he was playing unbelievable in the first set. He was killing me with his forehand, backhand, opening me up on the left and the right. Serving very well. I couldn’t do a lot of things. The 2nd set, I started to find the rhythm and the way to fight. Happy to finish strong like this on the serve.” “If you let him play, I think he’s one of the best clay court players. His forehand is a huge weapon. He’s a great champion. If I’m not putting him under pressure, I’m dead.”