Zhang Shuai, the point stolen by the opponent, the panic attack and the handshake - Corriere.it

Zhang Shuai, ex n. 22 WTA, which recently spoke about the mental health problems for athletes, yesterday withdrew in tears from the Budapest Open, the victim of an injustice and a panic attack. The Chinese tennis player, now 45 in the ranking, 34 years old, was on court in Hungary against landlady Amarissa Kiara Toth, number 548 of the world, and was the victim of a clamorous mistake. So far, things happen, if it wasn't a clear theft. His forehand cross lands exactly on the line, but is called out. The race judge gets off the bench and approves despite the cameras clearly showing the sign. It would be sad, but what happened didn't stop there.

All efforts on practice was wrong , because when you wanted hitting closer to the line , even touched the line still OUT ?..

I love you guys and all girls who supporting me and standing my side pic.twitter.com/ZZt28KdbRE

— Shuai Zhang (@zhangshuai121) July 18, 2023

The point from Toth on 15-30 in the 11th game, with the Chinese serving. It's atJust after the next point, the twenty-year-old Hungarian goes to erase the mark with her foot on purpose although Zhang is yelling at her to wait, explaining that he wants to speak to the tournament supervisor. Even this scene documented by the cameras, and always under the applause of the publicas unsportsmanlike as the home athlete, while for the Chinese champion only booing and booing comes.

Wow I can't believe this, Toth went to wipe the mark despite Zhang keep shouting ''wait wait, keep the mark'' pic.twitter.com/qtKC7KGyAO

— LorenaPopa (@popalorena) July 18, 2023

It is understandable that, at this point, Zhang loses concentration. Soon after give up the service to the advantages and, in the grip of a panic attack, retires to 5-6. But, despite his anger, she decides to go to anyway shake hands with the match director and the opponentThat rejoice arms to the sky gathering the applause of the public, happy with his landing in the round of 16. On social media another tennis player, Ajla Tomljanovicformerly of Matteo Berrettini, underlined how the Chinese woman was a better person than many of us for shaking hands with others in such a difficult circumstance.

Absolutely disgusting behavior.
Shuai is a better person than a lot of us for shaking the ref and that girls hand.
But then again it's Shuai we are talking about , ofc she did. https://t.co/GVcQ1NoPKe

— Ajla Tomljanovic (@Ajlatom) July 18, 2023