Kiara Toth Becomes The Most Hated Woman In Tennis - ‘Absolutely Disgusting’
This 2023, Kiara Toth becomes the most hated woman in Tennis.
In the round of 32 at the Hungarian Grand Prixon Wednesday, the 20-year-old Hungarian faced China's Zhang Shuai, 34, and had a display of ill sportsmanship that one player dubbed "disgusting," forcing her opponent to retire, flooded with tears.
Controversial Display
According to media accounts, Toth stated, "I don’t understand why she made such a fuss out of it, that she wanted to overrule the judge’s decision. I don’t understand why she didn’t accept it, but she made trouble for herself."
At that point in the match, the score was knotted 5-5 in the first set when Shuai played a forehand crosscourt shot that looked like it landed on the line.
On the other hand, the umpire ruled that it was a strike. While Shuai was protesting the ruling to the umpire and calling for a match supervisor to come to the court, Toth moved over to the line and rubbed the ball mark away with her foot.
During this time, Shuai also called for a match supervisor to come to the court.
Shuai inquired as to why Toth would do such a thing, and Toth said succinctly: "Because you’re making problems, that’s why."
Because there is no line technology on clay courts, umpires mainly utilize the ball mark to determine their call.
While the match was delayed owing to Shuai's request to review the call, someone in the audience yelled "Time violation," prompting Toth to giggle.
This is really repulsive behavior. For shaking the refs and that girl's hands, Shuai is a nicer person than many of us.
But it's Shuai we're talking about, so of course she did. Shuai wrote:
“„All efforts in practice were wrong because when you wanted to hit closer to the line, even touching the line was still out. I love you guys and all the girls who are supporting me and standing by my side.- Shuai
Ellen Perez, an Australian doubles player, defended Shuai on Twitter.
Well, that’s a quick way to lose the respect of your peers. I’m actually shaken by the level of disrespect from this girl,” Perez wrote. “If I see this girl tomorrow, I will tell her how disgusted I am.”
News: Kiara Toth becomes the most hated woman in tennis Absolutely disgusting, SUNews
That's an easy way to lose the respect of your peers. This girl's degree of contempt has genuinely shaken me.
Another Australian tennis player, Ajla Tomljanovic, lauded Shaui's poise. Tomljanovic wrote on Twitter:
“„Absolutely disgusting behavior. Shuai is a better person than a lot of us for shaking the ref and that girl’s hand. But then again, it’s Shuai we are talking about, of course, she did.- Tomljanovic