‘Don’t respect her’: Olympic tennis handshake drama erupts

American tennis star Emma Navarro has unloaded on Chinese rival Qinwen Zheng after a heated clash during their epic Olympic clash.

Navarro was fuming. Photo: Channel 9

It might be hot in Paris but nowhere was it hotter than at the net after Chinese star Qinwen Zheng defeated American Emma Navarro on Tuesday.

Zheng, the world No. 7 who made the Australian Open final, took three hours and saved a match point to down world No. 15 Navarro 6-7 7-6 6-1 and move into the quarterfinals.

But it was after match point that things got heated as the pair shared a tense meeting at the net.

The pair revealed there’s some bad blood with Navarro describing her opponent as “cutthroat” in the press conference.

“I just told her I didn’t respect her as a competitor,” Navarro said of the clash at the net.

“I think she goes about things in a pretty cutthroat way. It makes for a locker room that doesn’t have a lot of camaraderie, so it’s tough to face an opponent like that, who I really don’t respect.

“But, kudos to her, she played some good tennis there at the end. She played better than me, so congrats to her.”

It wasn’t pretty. Photo: Channel 9

Navarro, who is the daughter of billionaire founder and COO of Sherman Financial Group, has broken out this season with strong grand slam results and her first WTA title in Hobart to move into the top 15 in the world.

Zheng became the darling of the Australian Open in January but was beaten in straight sets in the final, with an estimated 20 million Chinese fans tuning in.

The fan following has continued through to the Olympics with Chinese fans packing out court 7.

While Navarro was fuming, Zheng called the American “a great opponent”.

“She told me she doesn’t know how I have a lot of fans,” Zheng said.

“It looks like she’s not happy with my behaviour towards her. If she’s not happy about my behaviour, she can come and tell me.

“I would like to correct it to become a better player and a better person.”

Sounds like Zheng 2-0 after that quip. Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

The 21-year-old added: “I’m glad that she told me that. I will not consider it an attack because she lost the match.”

But she also couldn’t help a dig, reportedly asking the moderator: “Isn’t she back in the USA already?”

Zheng, one of two Chinese women to reach the last 16 of the singles, will face former world number one and three-time major winner Angelique Kerber for a place in the semi-finals.

Kerber, 36 and playing in her final tournament before retirement, defeated Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-4, 6-3.

“I’m just looking day by day, match by match, and just trying to enjoy it. I’m feeling good on court, and let’s see how far I can get,” the German said.

With AFP

Originally published as ‘Don’t respect her’: Olympic tennis handshake drama erupts