Jelena Ostapenko calls for umpire to be banned from her games during Brisbane defeat - 'You ruin my matches'
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ByEurosport
Published 05/01/2024 at 09:43 GMT
Jelena Ostapenko has called for chair umpire Julie Kjnedlie to not be allowed to be in charge of one of her matches again during a three-set defeat to Victoria Azarenka in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International. The 2017 French Open champion said the umpire was "blind" after a point Azarenka won in their match despite Ostapenko believing the ball had already bounced twice.
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Jelena Ostapenko called for chair umpire Julie Kjnedlie to be banned from her matches during her 6-3 3-6 7-5 defeat to Victoria Azarenka in the quarter-finals at the Brisbane International.
With the score level at 4-4 in the third-set decider, Ostapenko hit a drop shot which struck the net cord and dropped in front of Azarenka.
The No. 3 seed believed the ball bounced twice before Azarenka returned it, but it was not called and Azarenka went on to win the point - and the game - to take a 5-4 lead.
When the controversial point had finished, Ostapenko said to the umpire she was "blind" as she headed for her chair.
"You are blind," the Latvian said. "It is impossible to play when you make so much mistakes.
"I never want you at my match again. You will never be at my match. I don't want you at my matches, you ruin my matches."
Once the high quality two-and-a-half hour match had finished, Ostapenko shook hands with Azarenka but not with Kjendlie.
After a narrow victory for Azarenka to seal her place in the semi-finals, the two-time Australian Open champion praised her opponent.
"With Jelena, sometimes you have to put on a helmet and try to stay in there," the No. 8 seed said in her on-court interview.
"She has proved she can beat anyone on any given day. She makes you fight for every point, she was blasting returns, blasting winners.
"The quality of tennis was incredible, so to be able to go through I'm very proud."
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