Sabalenka Says Umpire Didn't Have 'Guts' To Admit Mistake After Stuttgart Incident
NewsSunday, 20 April 2025 at 11:55
Aryna Sabalenka had a disagreement with an umpire at the 2025 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, and she had some advice for the umpire afterward.
Sabalenka comfortably won her quarter-final match at the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart, beating Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-1. It was an easy win for the Belarusian, but there was a moment from the match that was the main talking point even after the win.
At one point, Sabalenka wasn't happy about one of the line calls, and she requested the umpire of the match, Miriam Bley, to double-check the mark. The umpire didn't want to do that, so the WTA World No. 1 pulled out her phone and took a picture of the mark in question.
After the match, Sabalenka posted the picture online. Although it is hard to judge from the picture, also because the lighting in the arena made it difficult to see, it seems that the three-time Grand Slam champion was indeed right, and the ball mark was "in."
Following her win, Sabalenka spoke about how firm the handshake was from the umpire after the match, and during her press conference, the Belarusian was asked about the incident again.
Sabalenka said that she was 100% convinced that the ball was in, but that she also understands that mistakes do happen. At the same time, she wanted the umpire to admit that she made the mistake rather than avoid discussing it further.
"Yeah, it was definitely in. I understand. I mean, everyone can make mistakes, and I'm not the one who is going to be complaining to the referee. I'm usually quite respectful. But I think you cannot make this kind of mistake."
"I think you have to, if you make the mistake, I think you have to have guts to admit it and make a call. I guess not everyone has the guts to do that, but it's okay."
"Once again, everyone can make mistakes, and with a little bit of time, I had time to cool down, let's say like that, and I kind of like let it go, the situation. And it's okay, whatever happens there."
During the press conference, Sabalenka also spoke about her unusual situation in Stuttgart. Because of a withdrawal of her second-round opponent, Anastasia Potapova, and the cancelled play on Friday because of the local laws, the WTA World No. 1 didn't start her tournament until Saturday.
Although it was a unique situation for Sabalenka, she knew how to approach it. The Belarusian spent plenty of time on the practice court, which helped her to beat Mertens in the quarter-finals.
"I had a week to practice on these courts, so I felt pretty comfortable. Also, I played here so many times, so I know the courts and I feel really good on this surface. So I think it was about just playing the first match on clay, getting used to the game, not over-rushing things. It was mostly about that."
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