A recent women’s tennis match ended in a tearful retirement after a controversial call sparked a tense back-and-forth between two players at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
In the opening set of Tuesday’s round of 32 match, Chinese tennis player Zhang Shuai hit a crosscourt shot that appeared to land on the line on the side of her opponent Amarissa Toth. However, a line judge called the ball out and the chair umpire got down to examine the ball mark before confirming the line judge’s call.
Zhang continued to argue her case with the umpire, pointing at the visible mark left by the ball on the court. While she did, Toth confidently walked up and erased the mark with her foot, despite Zhang’s pleas to keep the mark in place.
This is so heartbreaking, she called the physio and I think she just couldn't handle the pressure and the feelings as she started crying so she retired from the match, the reaction from the crowd and especially Toth, loss for words. She didn't deserve to be treated like this 😪 pic.twitter.com/QVzqgPO7yy
— LorenaPopa 🕵️♀️🎾 (@popalorena) July 18, 2023
Toth’s actions only further upset Zhang, who asked “Why did you do that?” to her opponent. Toth fired back across the net, “You’re making problems.”
After the game finished and Toth took a 6–5 lead in the first set, Zhang was seen in tears in her seat on the side of the court. She briefly spoke with medical personnel before standing up and shaking hands with the umpire and Toth, signaling her retirement from the match.
Shortly after leaving the court, Zhang posted another video of the controversial call and her exchange with Toth before thanking her supporters for standing with her through the situation.
All efforts on practice was wrong , because when you wanted hitting closer to the line , even touched the line still OUT …..
— Shuai Zhang (@zhangshuai121) July 18, 2023
I love you guys and all girls who supporting me and standing my side pic.twitter.com/ZZt28KdbRE
A number of current players and media members were among those to take the side of the 35-year-old Zhang in the dispute. Ajla Tomljanović, Ellen Perez and Caroline Garcia were among those who stated their support of the Chinese player publicly on social media, while also decrying Toth’s actions in the match.
Absolutely disgusting behavior.
— Ajla Tomljanovic (@Ajlatom) July 18, 2023
Shuai is a better person than a lot of us for shaking the ref and that girls hand.
But then again it’s Shuai we are talking about , ofc she did. https://t.co/GVcQ1NoPKe
Well that's a quick way to lose respect from your peers. I'm actually shook by the level of disrespect from this girl. https://t.co/nBB1mBCh9A
— Ellen Perez (@EllenPerez95) July 18, 2023
We All know what kind girl you are @zhangshuai121 🙏🏻🙌🏻🤗
— Caroline Garcia (@CaroGarcia) July 19, 2023
Take care of yourself https://t.co/0htOCAohPJ
Toth will return to action in the round of 16 against Kateryna Baindl of Ukraine on Thursday.
