Ajla Tomljanovic accuses Jelena Ostapenko of faking injury as Nick Kyrgios bows out of Wimbledon
Australian Ajla Tomljanovic accuses her opponent of faking injury, but there was nothing fake about Nick Kyrgios’ Wimbledon retirement.
Australian Ajla Tomljanovic has roared through to the second week of Wimbledon after a nasty match against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, in which she accused the in-form Latvian of faking injury.
The feisty outside court showdown even eclipsed Nick Kyrgios, who was forced to retire hurt with his Court One match against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime locked at a set apiece.
Kyrgios was on fire, racing through the first set 6-2, but pulled an abdominal muscle that impacted on his fiery serves. He retired hurt after losing the second set 1-6.
At the beginning of the match, the Canberran raised a laugh when admitting he had forgotten his shoes.
“I left my tennis shoes in the locker room. It happened once before, but not at Wimbledon,’’ an embarrassed Kyrgios said as officials raced to find them.
“One minute I thought I was professional, got my racket, got my clothes, walked out here so confidently and then bang, I forget my shoes in the locker.”
When you forget your PE kit 😅 👟#Wimbledon@NickKyrgiospic.twitter.com/UkfslxZe4t
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2021
In a highly unusual move, Wimbledon organisers allowed for Kyrgios to be interviewed after his injury-forced retirement, which will also impact on his mixed doubles matchup with Venus Williams.
“I haven‘t played this level of tennis in a long time … my ab, I definitely did something to it.”
Confirming that this Wimbledon championship had reinvigorated his love for the game, Kyrgios said, to loud cheers, that with his supportive partner, Chiara Passari, he may “have a second wind and I’m going to come back and play for a bit longer”.
“I met a heck of a player first round (Ugo Humbert) and I played a great second round to get out here to play and I played as long as I could, two sets and I am sorry that I couldn’t give you more today.”
Rest up, @NickKyrgios - look forward to having you back next year 👊#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/WURhj58ErR
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2021
Kyrgios later repeated his uncertainty about his double-booking: the Tokyo Olympics or playing at the Atlanta Tournament.
“Look, I don‘t know about the Olympics or Atlanta just yet. If I’m to play the Olympics, I want to do it the right way. I want to do it with full crowds, with my guests there. I want to do it when I’m able to watch other athletes do their thing. That’s the Olympics for me. The Olympics, the way it’s going to go on, is not the Olympics. That’s not what it is for me. With these restrictions, that’s not how I want to remember the Olympics either if I play it just one time.”
But it was the earlier drama on an outside court where Tomljanovic and Ostapenko had a bitter row in the final set that had Wimbledon agog.
At the time, Ostapenko – fresh off a grass court win at the Eastbourne Classic – had lost seven games in a row and was down four games in the third set when she suddenly went to her chair and demanded a medical time out. Tomljanovic was just about to serve.
“I cannot continue. I have pain,” Ostapenko said as a furious Tomljanovic complained to the umpire, suspecting the call for medical attention was a tactic to interrupt her momentum.
The Brisbane player said to the umpire: “You know she‘s lying, right? Everyone knows she’s lying. Can you call the supervisor as well? She can say whatever she wants. Are you taking any consideration that she looked fine for an hour and 30 and now there’s an ‘acute’ injury?”
Ostapenko then went off the court but returned to take the next game. Tomljanovic said afterwards that it would have been more appropriate for Ostapenko to ask for the physiotherapist if she was feeling pain and continue playing until help arrived.
“The fact she did it at 4-0 when I was about to serve, that’s just disrespectful, it’s not what you do, especially at Wimbledon,” she said.
After Tomljanovic won the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, Ostapenko told Tomljanovic to check with the physio whether she was faking the injury. The 24 year old fired at Tomljanovic: “Your behaviour is terrible, terrible. You have zero respect.”
Tomljanovic retorted: “You’re one to talk.”
The incident in question between Ajla Tomljanović and Jelena Ostapenko, who took a dubious medical timeout down 4-0 that the Aussie didn’t take kindly to. Interesting exchange at the net... #Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/WYBVYvGeeN
— Jasper Chellappah (@Jasperc53) July 3, 2021
After the match Ostapenko, doubled down on her criticism of the Australian. “You‘re winning but that doesn’t mean you can do everything you want.
“It was very disrespectful from her side because she doesn‘t know about the injury. Everyone is an athlete and everyone can have an injury.”
But Tomljanovic remained convinced Ostapenko was faking a problem to put her off her game.
“I played her – there was nothing wrong with her,” she said.
“She can say she was injured. I don‘t think she was. I think it was a clear reason she wanted to get me off my game. Game-wise, there was nothing wrong with her.
“I think it is disgraceful behaviour from someone who is a (Grand) Slam champion. If she was injured, she could have gone about it in a better way.”
Ajla Tomljanovic did not back down in press.
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) July 3, 2021
Emphasized that it was the timing of the MTO that caused her to react, and is very honest about how some of her previous experiences might have fed into her reaction - but also calls Ostapenko's behaviour 'disgraceful'. pic.twitter.com/tsIfEo278i
Tomljanovic was the one left smiling, however, winning through to the fourth round of Wimbledon – a career high.
Almost simultaneously, Tomljanovic’s boyfriend, Italian Matteo Berrettini, also won through to the fourth round on a nearby court.
Tomljanovic may end up with a Centre Court or Court One appearance on Monday because her next opponent is the new darling of British tennis, the 18-year-old schoolgirl and wildcard Emma Raducanu, who overcame a hesitant start to beat Sorana Cirstea in straight sets.
Raducanu’s shock progression has instantly won over the crowd, with her effervescent personality earning her a legion of fans. She told centre court that her parents joked with her that she was packing too many tennis outfits to go into the Wimbledon bubble, but now she would have to find the hotel laundry to make sure she had a clean set for Monday.
With her speed around the court, and the deafening crowd support Raducanu will undoubtedly receive, Tomljanovic faces a tough challenge.
Tomljanovic wondered during the coronavirus pandemic when her career would click: “There are so many small steps that I had to take over the last year, wins maybe to someone don’t look big but to me, were so precious. So making the fourth round here is such a huge pat on the back to myself.”
White clothes usually go in on a 60, by the way, @EmmaRaducanu 😉#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/XXunM14hVq
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2021
She said of Raducanu: “How great is it to make the fourth round when you’re 18 in your home slam. It’s unbelievable, so she will definitely have the crowd (behind her).”
Raducanu, meanwhile, was still “buzzing” at her success.
“I thought if I‘m not going to enjoy Court One at Wimbledon, home crowd, like what are you going to enjoy? This is the cherry at the top of tennis,” she said.
“I was just so excited. When I heard the crowd just roar for the first time, I was like, wow, they‘re so behind me. I was just feeding off of their energy. I’m just so excited I get to play in front of them again.”
The moment @EmmaRaducanu became the youngest British woman to reach the fourth round at #Wimbledon in the Open era 👠🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/SUxODx6VIo
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2021
The other Australians competing early Saturday, James Duckworth and Jordan Thompson, both lost their matches in straight sets.
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