‘Awkward’ moment in Iga Swiatek victory divides tennis world
There has been an intense reaction to a crucial Melbourne Park act, with a star player labelled a “cheat” amid calls for a rule change.
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A moment of controversy marred Iga Swiatek’s 6-1 6-2 victory over Emma Navarro at the Australian Open on Wednesday, leading to a fierce response in the tennis world and calls for a rule change.
Swiatek, the world No. 2 and second seed at this year’s tournament, has been carving through the women’s draw without dropping a set to date.
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But the 23-year-old was embroiled in a contentious moment in her quarter-final against Navarro when the Polish star won a crucial point, chasing down a drop shot despite the ball bouncing twice before she hit it.
It was advantage to Swiatek on her serve at the time and she ultimately won the game with a backhand winner for a 3-2 lead in a tight second set, with Navarro immediately complaining to the chair umpire.
Watch the incident in the video player above
Under tennis rules, however, a player has to call “not up” immediately when such a moment occurs and stop playing, with the incident becoming a moot point after the American opted to play out the point.
Commentator Sam Smith noticed the double bounce and said: “You’re kidding me! And Navarro thinks the same. She thinks that’s not up. But the umpire is having none of it. That’s clearly a double bounce. So why didn’t she ask for a video review?”
Jelena Dokic replied: “Well, she asked after the point was done and you’ve got to ask right then. Maybe she wasn’t sure, so maybe she wanted to play thinking she would win this point.
“She did ask the umpire, who didn’t allow it.”
Smith said: “That’s not a great rule. How are you supposed to react?”
Alicia Molik added: “That’s a really awkward one for both players.”
Tennis reporter James Gray wrote on X: “Not for the first time, a player fails to use the video review for a double bounce. Emma Navarro complained to the umpire that she thought Iga Swiatek had not got there, but did not ask for the review. Staggering, given players have been crying out for video review.”
Commentator Jose Morgado said: “What? Where is VAR? This is ridiculous. Clear double bounce.”
He later added “Swiatek was awarded this point. QF of a slam. Terrible look for tennis” along with a still shot of the ball clearly bouncing before Swiatek hit it back.
Journalist Simon Cambers added: “Impossible for a player to be sure enough to stop the point when they think it’s a double bounce. And you are always going to carry on playing if you are not 100% sure. Think this rule should be changed – if there’s a double bounce, it’s a double bounce.”
It was a tough pill to swallow for Navarro and slammed the door shut on any chance she had to fight back in the match as Swiatek won the next three games to book a spot in the semi-finals against Madison Keys.
Navarro was diplomatic after the match, saying in her press conference: “I didn’t stop playing. I played the next shot, so I couldn’t see a replay.
“I asked (the umpire) after the point if I could see a replay and she said I played it, so I couldn’t see it.”
Asked if there should be a rule change to allow players to challenge incidents after a point, she said: “Yeah, I think it should be allowed to see after the point even if you play. It happened so fast.
“You hit the shot and she hits it back and you’re just, like, ‘Oh, I guess I’m playing’.
“You know, in the back of your head you’re, like, ‘OK, maybe I can still win the point even though it wasn’t called’.
“It’s going to be a downer if I stop the point and it turns out it wasn’t a double bounce. Yeah, it’s tough. I think we should be able to see it afterwards and make that call.”
Pushed on whether she felt Swiatek was to blame for not calling out the mistake, Navarro only said she “didn’t know if she knew or not” and “ultimately it’s up to the ref to make the call. It’s tough to place blame on anybody”.
Swiatek is one of the biggest names in the women’s game, claiming four of the past five French Opens along with the 2022 US Open.
She has now equalled her best result in Melbourne, having also reached the final four in 2022, ahead of her semi-final with Keys on Thursday night.
The former world No. 1 was asked for her thoughts on the contentious point after the match and insisted she wasn’t sure if the ball had bounced twice.
Swiatek was awarded this point.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 22, 2025
QF of a Slam.
Terrible look for tennis pic.twitter.com/09btb28m4I
“Honestly, I didn’t see the replay after this point because after the point I didn’t look up for the screens because I wanted to stay focused and didn’t want this point to stay in my head for longer period of time,” she said.
“I wasn’t sure if it was a double bounce or I hit it with my frame. It was hard to say because, like, I was full sprinting.
“I don’t remember, like, even seeing the contact point. I don’t know. Sometimes you don’t really look when you hit the ball.
“So I wasn’t sure. I thought this is like the umpire’s kind of job to call it, you know.
“I was also waiting for the VAR, but I didn’t see it, so I just kind of proceed. I already focused on the next one.”
There was a mixed reaction in the tennis world, with some declaring Swiatek would have known the ball had bounced twice and others pointing the finger at the umpire.
“Iga Swiatek saw on the big screen her shot was a double bounce (not up), and was still awarded the point by the umpire. Complete lack of integrity. Should have willingly relinquished the point to Emma Navarro. That stinks,” declared X account Jayele.
“She at least could have apologised to Navarro after point,” suggested another tennis fan.
“Yet again another example, Iga Swiatek is a cheat. She should have owned up, it was a clear double bounce,” was another strong reaction.
“You know when it bounces twice. Even novice tennis players do,” wrote another.
Others felt the fault was squarely on chair umpire Eva Asderaki’s shoulders.
Drew Semmens tweeted: “Umpire three metres away – know mistakes happen, but how can you miss this?”
Edge AI wrote: “Umpire at the Emma Navarro vs Iga Swiatek match doesn’t make use of VAR even though Navarro asks for it. Very bizarre from the umpire, looks like a clear double bounce.”
Others were keen to point out that while the incident occurred on an important point, it ultimately had no impact on the outcome of the match.
One X user wrote: “It looks bad but it’s really not her job if the umpire doesn’t call it and she’s not sure.”
A second added: “She won 6-1 6-2 btw … but y’all came online blaming (Swiatek) for an umpire’s mistake.”
It continues a hot topic over technology at the year’s opening grand slam, including the lack of let machines on nets during the tournament.
Originally published as ‘Awkward’ moment in Iga Swiatek victory divides tennis world
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