Jelena
Ostapenko, as they engaged in a tense match where the Australian accused her
opponent of feigning an injury after Ostapenko took a medical timeout. The two
will cross paths again, this time in the second round of the
Australian Open.
The
Australian, ranked No. 271, secured victory in the first round against Petra
Martic (No. 40) with a scoreline of 7-6(5), 6-1, marking her return to her home
Grand Slam after missing the 2023 edition due to injury. Ostapenko, on the
other hand, triumphed in her opening-round match against the local player
Kimberly Birrel (No. 116) with a score of 7-6, 6-2.
Controversy
at 2021 Wimbledon
The
third-round match at SW19 in 2021 concluded with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory for
Tomljanovic. However, the former French Open champion was displeased with her
opponent's accusation of dishonesty, leading to a heated exchange at the net
during the post-match handshake.
At the
moment of Ostapenko's injury, Tomljanovic directed a comment to the umpire:
"You know she's lying." Ostapenko, in response, wasted no time
clarifying that she was telling the truth and expressed her frustration to her
rival: "If you think I'm faking it, you can talk with the physio,"
Ostapenko said. "Your behavior is terrible. You have zero respect."
"You're
one to talk," retorted Tomljanovic, further fueling the tense exchange
between the two players.
Ostapenko defends
injury, Tomljanovic stands firm
The current
world No. 10 asserted in the press conference that she had indeed pulled her
abdominal muscle during the second set, leading to difficulties in serving due
to the pain. "She cannot say anything unless she knows anything, and she's
not me, so she cannot feel the pain," Ostapenko remarked. "I'm the
one who feels the pain. I really felt I needed the physio."
"That's
why I said very bad player because of this behavior. You're winning but that
doesn't mean you can do everything you want” Ostapenko said in press conference
after match. "It was very disrespectful from her side because she doesn't
know about the injury. Everyone is an athlete and everyone can have an
injury."
Tomljanovic,
in her press conference, maintained her stance that Ostapenko feigned the
injury. "She can say she was injured. I don't think she was,"
Tomljanovic insisted. "I think it was a clear reason she wanted to get me
off my game. Game-wise, there was nothing wrong with her.”
"I
think it is disgraceful behavior from someone who is a Slam champion. If she
was injured, she could have gone about it in a better way.