Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. HOME News Royal Showbiz & TV Sport Comment Finance Travel Entertainment Life & Style Football Tennis Transfer news F1 Boxing UFC Cricket Rugby Other Golf NFL Racing NBA Maria Sakkari and Danielle Collins clashed at the Canadian Open, with fierce words exchanged between the pair. 11: 34, Thu, Aug 10, 2023 | UPDATED: 12: 16, Thu, Aug 10, 2023
Chinese tennis star Wu Yibing on his journey to ATP TourMaria Sakkari and Danielle Collins clashed on court at the Canadian Open as player recklessness became a hot topic once again in tennis. Collins called for her opponent to be penalised mid-match before going on to book her spot in the round of 16 with a 6-4, 6-2 success.
Greek star Sakkari was pulled up by Collins early in the second set after striking a ball into the crowd. The world No 8 did not hit anyone sat in the stands, but that did not stop her American rival from questioning why the umpire did not intervene.
Sakkari smashed the ball into the ground following a point, which then bounced into the stands. The 28-year-old then apologetically raised her hand to the cluster of spectators nearby to acknowledge her error.
However, Collins was not willing to let her rival off lightly, she asked the chair umpire: “Did you just see that? Did you just see what happened?” Sekkari glanced over and furiously replied: “I didn’t even hit anyone. It was on the ground.”
Danielle Collins was furious with the umpire’s decision (Image: Getty)
Collins insisted to the umpire before turning to her opponent and responding: “Shut your mouth, shut your mouth.” Sakkari, who was still preparing to serve, angrily replied: “What’s your problem? I didn’t hit anyone. I framed the ball.”
The back-and-forth continue, with Collins continuing to protest to the umpire that her opponent should be punished – with disqualification among the potential punishments – and that there was a significant risk of a fan being hit by the ball. The situation was soon diffused though, with play continuing in an incredibly tense atmosphere.
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The pair shook hands after the match (Image: Getty)
Player recklessness has become a growing issue this year, with Casper Ruud calling for there to be harsher punishments back in April to try and stamp out the problem. He told the Ruud Talk Vodcast: “I think it needs to stop.
“This has been two [or] three cases now in within a month. So it’s reckless behaviour in a way. It’s not something I wish to see, but at the same time, it brings attention to the sport just in a negative way.
“I think the punishment is tough to say what is fair and what is not that they do get big fines, but for some of these players [it] doesn’t seem like it matters. So it’s tough to say what we can do about it. I mean, the majority of players, they don’t do these things, but the way it’s looking, it can look like a big, big accident or incident can occur at any time.
“So let’s see, I mean, I think they have been getting some fines and some meetings probably with the board and the guys in the ATP who are deciding in the end.”
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