Iga Swiatek’s crushing quarter-final victory over Emma Navarro is overshadowed by another bizarre Australian Open technology row
Another crushing win for Iga Swiatek was overshadowed by a row over the Australian Open’s new video review technology.
The Polish No 2 seed thrashed Emma Navarro 6-1, 6-2 to set up a semi-final against Madison Keys. Navarro briefly threatened to make a match of it as she pushed for a break of serve at 2-2 in the second set and it was then that the controversy occurred.
With Swiatek serving at her advantage, Navarro played an excellent drop shot. Swiatek chased it down and scooped it back up, going on to win the point. As soon as the point, and game, was over, Navarro immediately turned to umpire Eva Asderaki and asked to challenge the call, insisting the ball had bounced twice before Swiatek retrieved it.
Video challenges have been introduced at this Australian Open, whereby players can contest judgement calls made by the umpire – such as double bounces.
But the rules state that players must stop the point to make a challenge, rather than waiting until the rally was finished, and so Navarro was unable to intervene. As Navarro and Swiatek sat in their chairs for the changeover, there followed the ridiculous spectacle of the point being replayed in slow motion over and over again on the big screen and everyone seeing clear as day that the ball bounced twice.
The crowd murmured and Navarro said: ‘Do you see that?’ to umpire Asderaki, who was powerless to correct her mistake.
Iga Swiatek’s match against Emma Navarro was overshadowed by a bizarre ruling, after Swiatek had appeared to play a shot after it bounced twice
Navarro, who ultimately lost in straight sets, fumed at the chair umpire after no call was made and the officials were unable to conduct a video review
Navarro confronted the chair umpire to express her displeasure at the call, with the American saying: ‘I think I should be allowed to review it after the point even if you play on’
‘I think I should be allowed to review it after the point even if you play on,’ said No 8 seed Navarro.
‘It happened so fast. You hit the shot and she hits it back, and you’re just, like, Oh, I guess I’m playing.
‘In the back of your head you’re like: “Maybe I can still win the point even though it wasn’t called.
‘It’s going to be a downer if I stop the point and it turns out it wasn’t a double bounce”. It’s tough.
‘I think we should be able to see it afterwards and make that call.’
The American makes a reasonable argument. There seems no good reason why a player should not be allowed to challenge after the point has been concluded.
Swiatek could, of course, have conceded the point to Navarro. It would have been an exceptional act of sportsmanship but Casper Ruud did just that for Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the US Open in 2022.
Asked if she had considered giving her opponent the point, Swiatek replied: ‘I didn’t see the replay, I didn’t look up for the screens because I wanted to stay focused and didn’t want this point to stay in my head.
Navarro, 23, has enjoyed an excellent run at the Australian Open, notably beating Ons Jabeur on her route to the quarter-final
Swiatek will now go on to face another American star, Madison Keys, in the semi-final
‘I wasn’t sure if it was a double bounce or I hit it with my frame. It was hard to say because I was full sprinting. I
‘I thought this the umpire’s job to call it. I was also waiting for the VAR, but I didn’t see it, so I just kind of proceeded.’
Ironically, just as Swiatek was discussing the matter in her press conference, there was an example of the system working perfectly in the match that followed them on Rod Laver Arena.
Ben Shelton chased down a Lorenzo Sonego drop shot and the Italian then stopped the point to ask for a video review. On replay it looked a tight call but the umpire, in collaboration with the video review official, awarded the point to Sonego.
