I went to check the controversial point between Shuai Zhang and Kiara Toth and I really don't have words for how bad the umpire was for this mark. @WTA it's really time you do something and investigate these, they can't make such big mistakes at this level. This is pure robbery
"Umpire is not fit to call claycourt matches": Navratilova gives verdict on horrific Zhang Shuai incident in Hungary
WTAThursday, 20 July 2023 at 10:45
Martin
Navratilova criticized the line judge at the Hungarian Grand Prix Budapest Open who was involved in
the controversy that led to Zhang Shuai's tearful retirement.
The Chinese
tennis player was competing in the first round of the Budapest Open in Hungary
against local player Amarissa Toth when she had a dispute with the line judge
over a ball that was called out but Zhang Shuai believed was in.
Despite
Zhang indicating the mark on the clay court, the line judge refused to come
down and check it, and the opponent erased the mark. In the midst of the
situation, the crowd booed Zhang, who experienced a panic attack and
subsequently retired from the match, leading to her opponent's celebration and
the applause from the audience for the local player's victory.
Martin
Navratilova took to social media to comment on the situation that occurred in
the second-round match between Zhang Shuai and Amarissa Toth.
"Pathetic
from any angle- umpire is not fit to call clay court matches and Toth is a bad
sport," 18-time Grand Slam champion wrote.
Pathetic from any angle- umpire is not fit to call clay court matches and Toth is a bad sport
The support
from Navratilova adds to several other tennis players who have already come
forward to defend Zhang, including Ons Jabeur, Maria Sakkari, Denis Shapovalov,
and Ajla Tomljanovic. The 34-year-old tennis player expressed her gratitude for
the support she has received from her fans.
"All
efforts on practice was wrong, because when you wanted hitting closer to the
line, even touched the line still OUT," tweeted Zhang Shuai.
All efforts on practice was wrong , because when you wanted hitting closer to the line , even touched the line still OUT ….. I love you guys and all girls who supporting me and standing my side
Zhang has
experienced a tough year with 13 consecutive losses, making it a forgettable
season. Her last singles victory came in the first round of the Lyon Open in
February of this year against Madison Brengle. However, despite the struggles
in singles, the 2-time Grand Slam champion in doubles managed to reach the
semifinals of the doubles event at Wimbledon alongside her partner Caroline
Dolehide.
As the 16th
seeds in the doubles draw, they put up a strong performance but were eventually
defeated by the third-seeded duo of Elise Mertens and Storm Sanders, who went
on to reach the final but were defeated by the team of Barbora Strycova and
Su-Wei Hsieh
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