The Horse of a Different Color: German Tennis Player Furious Over "Insane" Decision at Wimbledon
Tennis Player from Germany Venting About Regrettable Career Choice
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A shocking turn of events at Wimbledon leaves German tennis player Tamara Korpatsch out in the cold. She's vying for a spot in the main draw but nearly wins - only to be defeated by a bizarre, controversial umpiring call.
Initially, everything seems on Korpatsch's side. With a commanding 6:1 win in the first set in just 26 minutes in the Wimbledon qualification's opening round, it looks like her day is made. However, a bitter umpiring error soon topples her progress. The 30-year-old, ranked world No. 157, loses to Slovakian Renata Jamrichova, ranked 328, in the second set 5:7. Yet, Korpatsch manages to break at 3:2 in the fifth game. After breaking back to 4:4, Korpatsch witnesses another break and loses the set. The real shock comes in the deciding third set.
With the score tied at 2:2, Korpatsch takes a serve from Jamrichova, returns it with a powerful two-handed backhand - and hits the ball against the net post, according to the rules. The umpire halts the play and erroneously calls the shot a fault. Since the qualifying match was held on a doubles court, it's typical for there to be two net posts, and a ball can be hit off them in a singles match, making this a standard situation. Instead of 30:30, it became 40:15, and soon Jamrichova won her service game.
Korpatsch Fumes: "That Ain't Right!"
"This is the most insane decision I've ever faced," Korpatsch wrote on Instagram. It happened "at Wimbledon," the largest and most prestigious tournament in the world, "not at some ITF event," she shared her frustration and disappointment.
On the court, Korpatsch approaches the umpire, her opponent seems puzzled too. However, the ball hit the outer net post, "not the single post," explained the chair umpire, disregarding Korpatsch's protests. The furious German couldn't accept the decision and began wildly gesturing to the single post: "It hit right here."
"No, no, no," Korpatsch argued back as the umpire stood firm in her decision. It's impossible for the ball to bounce off the doubles post like that, she said frustratedly. "This ain't right," she sighed, looking at the single post again. "Let's ask for a review!" she shouted. Unfortunately, reviews are generally not allowed during qualifying matches. After the commotion, she eventually lost the third set 5:7 and the match.
- Tennis
- Wimbledon
In the grubby world of professional tennis, errors like these do happen, mostly due to umpires incorrectly applying regulations revolving around the positioning of net posts and the boundaries that apply for a given game. The rules state that the ball must land within the singles court boundaries to be considered in play, even if it hits the net posts in the doubles position. A misinterpretation of these rules could change the course of a match, as it did for poor Tamara Korpatsch.
The unfortunate umpiring error at Wimbledon, a major tennis tournament, has left German player Tamara Korpatsch disappointed, as she lost a qualifying match due to a controversial call. Despite initially dominating the match, an incorrect call concerning a ball hit against the net post upset her progress, affecting the final outcome of the match.
