‘Umpires Have Been Horrible’- Anna Kalinskaya’s Controversial Defeat Spurs Massive Outrage Among the Tennis Fans

Is it the most controversial moment of the 2024 US Open so far? Anna Kalinskaya lost her third-round match to the Brazilian tennis star, Beatriz Haddad Maia. This match had all the ingredients to call it a blockbuster showdown. Be it emotions, controversies, or excitement, fans witnessed everything in this epic showdown at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Although the Brazilian defeated Kalinskaya comfortably 6-3, 6-1, there was a controversial incident in this match that has now sparked fury among tennis fans.

We witnessed a terrible call in this match. Beatriz Haddad Maia tried to chase down a shot from Kalinskaya, which apparently looked to have bounced twice before it touched her racquet. Kalinskaya immediately asked for a check, and even after spotting the same in the VAR, the umpire still gave the point to Haddad Maia. Fans have now come out in numbers to protest this horrific call.

Kalinskaya started the match pretty well, taking a clear-cut 3-1 lead over the Brazilian. During the third game of the set, the Russian tennis star produced three breakpoint chances, but she failed to convert them in her favor. She lost the first set 3-6, and in the second set, she could only manage to win one game.

Anna Kalinskaya couldn’t really get a grip on the match after the first set. She failed to hit even a single ace in the entire match but committed five double faults. However, despite this poor performance, fans feel things could’ve been a bit different if that call had gone in her favor. Let’s check out some of the reactions from the fans.

Fans come out in numbers to show their support in a controversial incident in Anna Kalinskaya’s match

After seeing the chair umpire, Mariam Bley, take a look at her tablet screen and yet decide the shot to be quite legitimate, fans couldn’t resist raising their voices against this injustice. One of them claimed, “This umpires have been horrible on key plays!! I hope the players petition for improvements!!”

Video replays were first used at the US Open in 2023, and this year it has expanded to cover eight courts. Double bounces and hindrances are some of the decisions that can be challenged now. We have seen several controversial moments featuring poor officiating in the last few months, but in most of those tournaments, there was no VAR. However, in this case, fans are a bit surprised to see a repetition of the same even under strict monitoring. One of them clearly pointed out, “Ball is bounced. Terrible.”

Both players had never played against each other before this match. If we take a look at their current rankings, Kalinskaya is ranked 15th in the world, whereas Haddad Maia (21) is six places behind her. Even in the win-loss record, the Russian has recorded 28-16 in the 2024 season compared to just 27-22 for the Brazilian. So, clearly, Kalinskaya was the clear favorite in the match. Some of the fans looked a bit upset with the result. They felt it was sheer injustice done to her. “Why did they do this to my kalinkskaya?“ they wrote.

In February 2024, Anna Kalinskaya was heavily criticized for poor sportsmanship. It happened in Dubai, and fans were shocked when Storm Hunter lost a point despite a hindrance by the let call, and Kalinskaya accepted that point without hesitation. Tennis fans didn’t like the fact that Kalinskaya accepted the point and claimed it was a sheer example of ‘unsportsmanship’ by the Russian tennis star. However, this time, things have been a bit different! “Haddad Maia saw very well what happened but he clearly played in an unsportsmanlike way. What a bad fall of style for her,“ wrote a few.

We have seen players claim that bringing new innovations and electronic gadgets into the game may help us get fairer games without any such controversies. However, this recent incident has now started to raise eyebrows across the tennis world. A few of them questioned, “SO what’s the point having a video review if the umpire can’t make the change? The ball was clearly bounced from the ground….“

What are your thoughts about this incident? Share with us in the comment box.