"Leyhani is a side show": Serena Williams’ ex-coach criticises chair umpire decision during Rome Open clash between Dan Evans, Fabio Fognini
Tennis NewsSaturday, 11 May 2024 at 10:06
The former world number Serena Williams’ ex-coach, Rennae
Stubbs, criticised the behaviour of the chair umpire during the first-round
clash of the Rome Open between Britain’s Dan Evans and Fabio Fognini. The round
of 128 clash took place on Thursday where the 36-year-old came out on top with
a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
During the third round of the match, the incident took place
where chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani awarded a point to the Italian even though
it seemed the ball landed inside the white line. That decision did not go well with
Stubbs who, in a post on her official account on the social media platform X — previously
known as Twitter — was extremely critical as she criticised the decision and called
the chair umpire a ‘side show’.
"Leyhani is a side show! And the way he ran into Dan
is, horrible call ! i can’t wait to finally have everywhere! We can all see how
clearly out this ball was,” she wrote. The joy of that win was short-lived as Fognini
was eventually knocked out of the competition after losing in the round of 64
to America’s Taylor Fritz in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-4 on Friday.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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