Tennis, the Chinese Zhang leaves the Budapest tournament in tears: Amarissa Toth as Connors, cancels the mark and steals the point

Episode that has little to do with sportsmanship at the WTA tournament in Budapest. Shuai Zhang, world number 45 and second seeded, suffered the price, as she withdrew during the first set of her match. At 5-5, the Chinese had a forehand called out that actually hit the line. Her call also confirmed by the chair judge. At that point Zhang was about to address the tournament supervisor but in the meantime the opponent, the Hungarian Amarissa Toth, has canceled the mark of the ball. “Wait, wait, leave your mark, what are you doing? Why are you doing it?” Shouted the Chinese who, also targeted by the audience, between tears then said enough.

Zhang received the support of her colleagues, who instead stigmatized Toth’s behavior: “Absolutely disgusting”, wrote Alja Tomljanovic, while Ellen Perez said she was “shocked by the level of disrespect of this girl”.

Jimmy Connors precedent

An episode that recalled what happened in Forest Hill, in the 1977 edition of the US Open, in the challenge between Corrado Barazzutti and the American Jimmy Connors. With Jimbo leading 7-5 6-3, in the third set the blue was recovering when a ball by the American, decidedly out, was called good. Barazzutti called the judge to verify everything, but the latter didn’t have time as Connors had hastened to invade the others’ field to cancel the mark. Without trials, the point was awarded to Connors who ended up winning that third set as well and with it the match and access to the final against Vilas.