Not all victories come without a price. Magda Linette’s recent triumph over Liudmila Samsonova at the Wuhan Open was a perfect example of that. Although she secured her place in the next round where she will face either Lesia Tsurenko or Katie Boulter, the atmosphere in the arena quickly turned sour. The fans present unleashed their discontent towards the Polish player, booing and jeering at her throughout the match.

The controversy began when Linette made a cryptic remark about a “virus” while traveling to Wuhan for the WTA 1000 event. She shared a photo of her train journey along with a caption in Polish that read: “The virus database has been updated.” Her comment was perceived as a jab at the city where COVID-19 first emerged and that did not sit well with local fans.

Following immediate backlash from the locals and calls for action from fans demanding accountability from the WTA, Linette swiftly deleted the post in an attempt to quell rising tensions. So as she took to the court for her opening match, the reception was anything but warm, with spectators demanding an apology for her insensitive joke.

During her post-match interview, Linette attempted to address the backlash, saying, “I know I offended some of you guys,” but was quickly interrupted by the interviewer who redirected her to discuss her performance instead. She added, “Thank you so much for being still so nice to me”.

Despite the crowd’s hostility, Linette managed to secure a decisive victory against Samsonova, winning 6-2, 6-2. However, the jeers continued as fans chanted “apologize” throughout the match. It’s clear that while she triumphed on the court, she now faces an uphill battle to win back the hearts of the audience.

With many social media users condemning Linette’s now-deleted post, the uproar highlights how quickly public sentiment can shift in sports, especially when sensitivities are involved. Magda Linette’s connection with China is not new though.

The place where Linette found her potential

What makes this current situation even more astonishing is that Magda Linette has spent a couple of years training in China, a journey that began in 2014. Choosing to make Guangzhou her base, she became one of the few Western players to immerse herself in the Chinese tennis scene. Initially, this decision was born out of necessity, as she explained, “I had literally no place to go during the Chinese swing and I was really short on money. They were generous to help me with a pretty good deal.”

At the Star Academy in Guangzhou, Linette developed her skills alongside talented players like Zheng Saisai and Peng Shuai. Although she found the geographic isolation “mentally difficult” at first, she ultimately embraced it as a chance to focus on her game. “I could really focus on my practice, my tennis—just go and do my job,” she said. This focused environment allowed her to thrive, leading to consistent success in Asian tournaments.

Linette’s commitment extended beyond tennis; she even attempted to learn Chinese, noting, “The grammar is quite easy but just to memorize all the vocabulary is super-difficult.” This dedication helped her forge strong connections within the local community and helped her adapt to the conditions as well, which have proven beneficial during competitions.

However, now that she continues her campaign at the Wuhan Open this year, it remains to be seen how she will navigate this controversy moving forward. Will she be able to turn around the public opinion? Let us know in the comments below!