A girls’s doubles pairing has been sensationally disqualified from the French Open after one participant unintentionally hit a ballkid.
Mari Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo had been main 7-6 1-3 towards Aldila Sutjiadi and Miyu Kato when drama hit their third spherical match at Roland Garros.
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After a ball landed on the web, Kato picked it up and lobbed it gently with a one-handed backhand in direction of a ballgirl on the different finish of the court docket.
But sadly the ball hit the ballgirl within the aspect of her chest and she or he was in clear discomfort.
The chair umpire gave Kato a warning however their opponents Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo argued that Kato and Sutjiadi ought to be disqualified, or defaulted from the match.
“This is default”, they stated.
The chair umpire replied: “She didn’t do it on purpose, she didn’t get injured.”
Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo stated: “But she’s crying. She’s crying.”
A supervisor got here out and the match ended there after which in dramatic scenes as sixteenth seeds Sutjiadi and Kato had been defaulted from the match.
Viewers and tennis commentators had been stunned by the heavy punishment, particularly given Kato didn’t hit the ball in anger.
It was additionally a reasonably light hit, in comparison with the time Novak Djokovic unintentionally whacked a ball at a lineswoman’s throat on the 2020 US Open, leading to him kicked out of the grand slam.
Tennis author Simon Chambers tweeted: “The umpire originally gave just a warning – it was only when Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo pointed out that the ball girl was crying (and continued to make their case) that the umpire, after a long time and discussion with senior officials, announced the default.”
Journalist Sasa Ozmo stated: “IMO, not a good look insisting to win a match by default after a situation like this, where it’s clear that there wasn’t any bad intention.”
Tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg stated: “Brutal call. Ball not hit in anger whatsoever, just hit across to ball girl to keep the match flowing because it was the other team’s turn to serve. “Ball girl had hands full, reacted late. I hope K/S can appeal and not lose their entire prize money, as happens on defaults.”
The Tennis Podcast account posted: “Surprised this resulted in a default. Smacking the ball in anger, not caring where it goes, is one thing, but Kato seemed to be appropriately returning the ball.
“It was a genuine accident, not one caused by disregarding the safety of others. Can’t the rules recognise that?”
Source: www.news.com.au
