Aryna Sabalenka hits back at chair umpire who penalised her for GRUNTING during her Australian Open semi-final victory: ‘She really p***ed me off’
Aryna Sabalenka has claimed that a controversial umpire call, in which she was penalised for ‘grunting’, ignited a fire inside her during her semi-final victory against Elina Svitolina.
The Belarusian advanced to her fourth Australian Open final with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 victory against the world No 12, but there was controversy at the start of the semi-final clash.
At 2-1 in the opening set, Svitolina served to the world No 1, and the pair began to rally. Sabalenka was heard grunting loudly as she powered through each shot.
After a brief back and forth, the Belarusian mishit a groundstroke up into the air and over the net. The ball landed in Svitolina’s half of the court, and the world No 12 returned the shot to Sabalenka.
However, chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell interjected, calling: ‘Stop. Hindrance.’
Sabalenka had appeared to grunt loudly before saying something in anguish at her poorly struck shot, after the ball had left her racket.
Aryna Sabalenka (pictured) claimed that a chair umpire had ‘really p***ed her off’ after she was penalised for grunting during her victory against Elina Svitolina
Sabalenka was penalised for hindrance by the umpire after she appeared to mutter several words after hitting a shot
The world No 1 was left stunned by the umpire’s decision. She approached the official who subsequently proceeded to explain the decision, but that did little to alter Sabalenka’s opinion on the call. After the pair exchanged words, the two-time Australian Open champion called for a video review.
Commentators on TNT Sports’ broadcast of the match were also left perplexed by the bizarre incident.
‘It was because her grunt was quite different, because she thought the ball was going out. She’d mishit it. And the umpire has interpreted that as she thought it was the end of the point,’ a TNT Sports commentator said.
‘It was a different grunt, made because she felt she’d messed up the shot, but it’s somehow landed in. Whether or not that is a hindrance?’
The umpire then explained to Sabalenka that she ‘did not make the normal [grunt] sound’. Azemar Engzell subsequently upheld the decision, awarding Svitolina a point.
The International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) rule 26 states ‘if a player is hindered in playing the point by a deliberate act of the opponent, that player shall win the point. However, the point shall be replayed if a player is hindered in playing the point by either an unintentional act of the opponent, or something outside of the player’s own control.’
Sabalenka shrugged in disbelief but paced back to her baseline to receive the Ukrainian’s next serve. Svitolina would ultimately miss two chances to hold serve before Sabalenka broke her opponent to go 3-1 up.
Reflecting on the bizarre moment, Sabalenka bizarrely claimed that the incident had ‘p***ed her off’ but added that she was in fact grateful to the umpire.
While Sabalenka would go on to win the game, she claimed that the umpire’s controversial call had ignited a fire inside her that spurred her on to a 6-2, 6-3 victory
Sabalenka added laughing: ‘So if she ever wants to do it again… I want to make sure she’s not afraid of doing it, go hard. Call it. It’s going to help me.’
‘That’s actually never happened to me. Like never. Especially with my grunting. It’s so off,’ Sabalenka said.
‘The way I exhaled… I don’t know, the ball was deep the bounce was wrong; it was just the timing. I was exhaling. It just happened naturally.
‘Then she called it and I was like: “What is wrong with you?”
‘I think it was the wrong call, but whatever. She… how do I say it in a nice way… She [the chair umpire] really p***ed me off.
‘It actually helped me and it actually benefited my game. I was more aggressive and I was not happy with the call and it really helped me to get that game.
Sabalenka added, laughing: ‘So if she ever wants to do it again… I want to make sure she’s not afraid of doing it, go hard. Call it. It’s going to help me.’
It has been a flawless tournament so far for the world No 1, who is still yet to drop a set. Sabalenka was again brilliant at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday, notably swiping 29 winners past Svitolina.
The tide of momentum swung back in Svitolina’s favour at the start of the second set, with the Ukrainian breaking Sabalenka early and holding serve to go 2-0 up.
Sabalenka (pictured) is the third woman in the Open era to reach four consecutive singles finals at the Australian Open after Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis
But an angry Sabalenka bounced back with a break of her own to pull the set back to 2-2, before breaking again at 4-2. The Belarusian brilliantly saved a break point to hold off her opponent’s advances, before closing out the match.
Sabalenka is the third woman in the Open era to reach four consecutive singles finals at the Australian Open after Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Martina Hingis.
‘It’s an incredible achievement but the job´s not done yet,’ an emotional Sabalenka said in her on-court TV interview.
‘I’ve been watching her game, (Svitolina) was playing incredible.
‘I felt like I had to step in and put as much pressure as I could back on her. I´m glad the level was there. I think I played great tennis.’
She will meet world No 5 Elena Rybakina in what is set to be a thrilling Australian Open final after the Kazakhstan star beat American Jessica Pegula 3-6, 6-7(7-9).
