Pliskova smashes umpire’s chair

ROME: Former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova smashed the umpire’s chair in frustration after she lost to Greece’s Maria Sakkari in the second round of the WTA Italian Open on Wednesday.

In the third set with the sixth seeded Czech serving 6-3, 3-6, 5-5 (30/30) she had an overhead shot ruled out and both the line judge and the umpire said they could not find the mark.

Replays showed the ball landed inside the sideline but umpire Marta Mrozinska refused to accept Pliskova’s arguments to overturn the call.

The Czech went on to lose that game and the match 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours 21 minutes.

Pliskova did not shake Mrozinska’s hand after the match 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”.

For Sakkari it was the first top five win of her career and she will face Germany’s 11th seed Angelique Kerber for a place in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Belgian world No 10 David Goffin will miss the ATP event in Geneva, which starts tomorrow (Saturday), organisers announced Wednesday. The 27-year-old would have been the top seed in Switzerland, which is the final tournament before the start of the French Open on May 27, and is currently playing at the Italian Open.