The former world tennis No.1 Karolina Pliskova smashed a hole in the umpire's chair in anger after a contentious line call late in her loss to Maria Sakkari in the second round of the Rome Masters.
The sixth seed was tied at 5-5 in the deciding set with her Greek opponent when her smash was called out by a line judge.
Replays showed the ball landed inside the sideline but umpire Marta Mrozinska refused to accept Pliskova's pleadings to overturn the call.
I have never seen Pliskova like this. pic.twitter.com/nAI5OcMjdH
— Ashish TV (@Ashish__TV) May 16, 2018
Another angle of this unrelenting rage and fury. #Pliskova #Seething pic.twitter.com/FFWOqYYgQF
— The Overrule (@theoverrule) May 16, 2018
Sakkari won the game and then served out the match to win 3-6 6-3 7-5.
Pliskova did not shake Mrozinska's hand and instead smashed her racket several times against the side of the umpire's chair, breaking the wood.
Pliskova's twin sister Kristyna, who is also a professional player, subsequently tweeted "the worst i have ever seen wta and i hope this lady Marta Mrozinska will never ever judge any match of me or Karolina again .blacklistforever"
The worst i have ever seen @wta and i hope this lady Marta Mrozinska will never ever judge any match of me or Karolina again #blacklistforever
— Kristyna Pliskova (@KrisPliskova) May 16, 2018
Things were a lot more straightforward for world No.1 Simona Halep, who won 12 straight games against exciting young Japanese Naomi Osaka in a 6-1 6-0 victory that lasted just 59 minutes.
-AAP