Iga Swiatek’s 6-2 6-1 victory over Emma Navarro soured by double bounce controversy

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has come under fire from tennis fans, accused of returning a ball that had bounced twice at a critical point of her QF win over USA’s Emma Navarro.

A double-bounce furore erupted at the Australian Open on Wednesday with world No. 2 Iga Swiatek accused of returning a ball that had bounced twice.

But the Polish five-time slam winner has maintained she didn’t know whether the ball had already bounced a second time when she hit it on her way to the semi-finals with victory over American Emma Navarro.

In a crucial moment, Swiatek held serve to move to 3-2 in the second set, despite video evidence — and Navarro’s protestations — that she had failed to reach a mid-rally drop shot in time.

The contentious non-double bounce call in the Swiatek-Navarro match.

Navarro, 23, questioned the shot after the point had ended and demanded a video review, but was told by the match umpire that her decision to play out the point meant there could be no review and that she would have needed to stop and request it immediately.

“I think it should be allowed to see after the point even if you play,” Navarro said post-match, having been vocal in her feelings on-court.

A similar incident occurred in the Ben Shelton v Lorenzo Sonego GF, with Sonego calling for the review at the right time.

Video review now used at the Ben Shelton vs Lorenzo Sonego match.

Sonego asks for a VAR claiming ball bounced twice before Shelton returned it.

Umpire awards the point to Sonego.

Great sportsmanship from Shelton who said give the point to Sonego.

pic.twitter.com/uvwSfNi7sX

— edgeAI (@edgeAIapp) January 22, 2025

“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.”

Social media exploded in the wake of the incident, with broadcast commentators declaring it was “clearly a double bounce” in a moment that was “awkward for both players”.

Swiatek was awarded this point.

QF of a Slam.

Terrible look for tennis pic.twitter.com/09btb28m4I

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 22, 2025

Navarro said she wasn’t sure whether Swiatek had realised.

“It’s in the moment. Like I said, it happened so fast,” Navarro said.

“I don’t know if she knew or not. Yeah, ultimately, it’s up to the ref to make the call. It is what it is, I guess. It’s tough to place blame on anybody.

“It’s a tough call. I think the rules should be different that I think we, for sure, should be able it on look at it afterwards and decide.”

Swiatek — who will face Madison Keys in a Thursday night semi-final — said it was “hard to say” what had ensued in real time.

Swiatek will play Madison Keys in the final four. Picture: Michael Klein

“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 fully 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.”

Originally published as Iga Swiatek’s 6-2 6-1 victory over Emma Navarro soured by double bounce controversy