Tennis net malfunctions as Wimbledon champion overrules umpire | Tennis | Sport
Reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova showed the ultimate sportsmanship as she conceded a point to British star Jodie Burrage after her shot had gone through a rip in the net and landed on the other side of the court. The umpire had awarded Krejcikova the point, but was overruled as the Czech star felt that it was not fair to her opponent.
Krejcikova was losing in the set, having taken the first 6-4, and would have been in a much better position with the extra point as she was serving to stay in the second set, trailing 5-4 with the game at 15-15. She had been nursing a leg injury and took a medical time out earlier in the contest.
Krejcikova sent a shot far too low and ordinarily would have hit the net, awarding Burrage the point. However, unbeknownst to almost everyone in attendance on the south coast, there was a rip in the net and the ball flew through it, catching Burrage off-guard as she was unable to return it.
Krejcikova was originally awarded the point before Burrage approached umpire Marija Cicak and began arguing her case, insisting that the ball had gone through the net rather than over it.
The umpire suggested otherwise and told her that there was no malfunction, before Burrage met Krejcikova at the net and pointed out that it had been ripped. The umpire then announced that Krejcikova had given the point away to the British wildcard, who went on to break her serve and claim the set in the very same game.
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BBC commentator Candy Reid-Harrop was left in disbelief at what she had just witnessed in Eastbourne, describing the incident: “Oh no way, not sure quite how that went over, it’s meant to be a British net. Jodie Burrage is surprised as well.
“That is so weird. I think it went through as well. Well that is excellent sportsmanship from Barbora Krejcikova, this was extraordinary. That didn’t look anywhere close to the net tape, Marija Cicak said that there was no hole there, but there was.”
After Burrage had completed her second break of the set, to win it 6-4, officials came down to the court and began fixing the tear in time for play to resume in a decider.
Two officials then arrived with some wiring and began mending the issue, before ultimately giving the umpire the green light to cut the ties and get back underway.
The third set went all the way to a tiebreak and Burrage had three match points, which she failed to take, before Krejcikova was able to get over the line and seal her first WTA Tour quarter-final appearance of the season in what has been a difficult campaign so far.
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