Zhang Shuai retires from match in tears after opponent erases ball mark on court
China's Zhang Shuai retired from her match against Amarissa Toth in the Hungarian Grand Prix Tuesday visibly shaken and in tears after her opponent appeared to erase a ball marker on a disputed call.
During the first set of their match, Zhang hit a forehand that appeared to hit the line, but the line judge ruled the ball was out. The chair umpire then came to look at the ball mark and also ruled the ball was out.
However, Zhang still disputed the call and asked to speak to a tournament supervisor. The match continued for another point, but afterward, Toth walked up to the ball mark and erased it with her shoes.
"What are you doing?" Zhang said after seeing Toth erase the mark.
After trailing 6-5 in the first set, Zhang looked distressed as she spoke with tournament officials on the bench. She wound up retiring from the match, and after shaking hands with her opponents, Toth celebrated the victory with her hands in the air.
'All efforts on practice was wrong'
Zhang addressed the situation on Instagram while posting a clip of Toth erasing the ball mark.
"All efforts on practice was wrong , because when you wanted hitting closer to the line, even touched the line, but still called OUT," Zhang said. "I love you guys and all girls who supporting me and standing my side."
Other tennis stars defended Zhang over what happened. Ons Jabeur, the 2023 Wimbledon women's single runner-up, tweeted "this is not acceptable." Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka tweeted Toth's actions were “another level of unsportsmanlike conduct … Just wow.” Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic called it "absolutely disgusting behavior" from Toth.
"Shuai is a better person than a lot of us for shaking the ref and that girls hand," Tomljanovic said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zhang Shuai retires from match in tears after opponent erases mark
