Swiatek: Chair umpire's refusal to inspect ball mark was unfair
PARIS (AP) — Iga Swiatek said it's unfair that the chair umpire refused her request to climb down and inspect a mark during her semifinal loss to top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open on Thursday.
The incident happened when Swiatek was 4-2 up in the second set and with Sabalenka serving on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
After Sabalenka's first serve landed out, Swiatek stood still for moment before pointing her left finger at the mark while asking French chair umpire Kader Nouni to climb down and inspect it.
“I want him to come down, but he didn’t. So I don’t think that was fair, especially when he came down, like, every time Aryna asked him to. I don’t get it, but I don’t really care,” said Swiatek, whose 26-match French Open unbeaten streak ended a 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0 loss.
“When I had a mark that was out, he was convincing me that I only came there because I saw that my return was out.”
After a brief exchange, Swiatek gave up.
She walked back into position to receive three-time major winner Sabalenka's second serve, albeit with a wry smile on her face.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
HEADLINES
- Jabeur taking break from tennis: 'I haven't felt truly happy'
- Sabalenka withdraws from Montreal, opts for extra rest before US Open
- Bouchard, 31, plans to retire from tennis after Canadian Open
- British player Tara Moore banned 4 years after doping appeal is upheld
- Kudermetova and Mertens win women's doubles final at Wimbledon