Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, organizers said on Tuesday, amid a racism row over an online photograph.
Tournament organizers said the Spaniard had pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, citing a gastrointestinal illness, hours before her first-round match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.
News outlets including Britain’s the Telegraph earlier reported that Badosa had posted a photo on Instagram in which she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes.
Photo: AFP
The photo was taken last week in a restaurant in Beijing, where she reached the semi-finals of the China Open, and was posted online by her coach Pol Toledo.
It sparked a social media uproar and has since been deleted.
The world No. 15 on Monday apologized for her behavior in a post on social media.
Photo: AP
“Hey guys! Really sorry didn’t know this was offensive towards racism. My mistake,” she wrote. “I take full responsibility. These mistakes will make me learn for next time. Hope you understand.”
Badosa was replaced in the draw by lucky loser Lucia Bronzetti of Italy, who beat Tomljanovic 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).
In women’s doubles, Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russian partner Veronika Kudermetova on Tuesday night beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy and Diane Parry of France in their opening-round match. The sixth seeds next face the Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova and Barbora Krejcikova in the round-of-16.
Meanwhile, at the Shanghai Masters, Frances Tiafoe has apologized for his foul-mouthed tirade directed at a chair umpire after the American received a time violation and then lost to Roman Safiullin in the third round.
Unseeded Safiullin beat 13th seed Tiafoe 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) in a three-hour contest in which the American initially lost his cool when he received a time violation while serving with the score tied at 5-5 during the final-set tiebreak.
“No, no, I tossed the ball up... I was ready to serve. Dude, that’s the rule,” Tiafoe said repeatedly as he walked toward the net while trying to convince the Ecuadoran chair umpire Jimmy Pinoargote.
“I’m not buying it, it’s the second serve,” the umpire said in response, putting an end to the discussion by announcing “second serve” on the microphone.
Tiafoe went on to lose the point and eventually the match.
After shaking Safiullin’s hand at the net, Tiafoe directed his anger at Pinoargote, repeatedly hurling expletives at the umpire as he walked back to his seat, as the small crowd of fans who had stayed behind laughed at his antics.
The ATP did not immediately comment on the incident, but the rule book says the 26-year-old can expect to be fined, with the amount going up to US$60,000 for each contravention at Masters 1000 tournaments.
Tiafoe later apologized on Instagram.
“That is not who I am and not how I ever want to treat people. I let my frustration in the heat of the moment get the best of me and I’m extremely disappointed with how I handled the situation,” Tiafoe said. “That’s not acceptable behavior and I want to apologize to the umpire, the tournament, and the fans.”
Additional reporting by staff writer, with Reuters
The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up a brief visit to Brazil on Friday with a season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, but despite the defeat, the team outshone their divisional rivals in the fight for the hearts and minds of Brazilian fans. In Sao Paulo for just the second-ever NFL game in the city, Chiefs players — especially quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce — were treated as major celebrities throughout their stay, turning Corinthians Arena into a scene reminiscent of the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium. Before kickoff, crowds of fans gathered around the Chiefs’ tunnel, eager to catch a
New Zealand stayed firm at their Eden Park fortress to claim an attritional 24-17 win over South Africa in a heavyweight clash between the world’s top two rugby sides yesterday. Under pressure after conceding a first-ever defeat on Argentine soil against the Pumas two weeks ago, the All Blacks responded with a performance of grit and discipline to stretch their unbeaten run at their Auckland stronghold to 51 matches. Two well-taken tries by Emoni Narawa and Will Jordan set up a 14-3 lead at halftime before Quinn Tupaea grabbed a third five-pointer for the hosts 13 minutes from time. Well-held for most of
The Wallabies trusted their instincts to keep pushing for a late try instead of a potential equalizing penalty goal late in their Rugby Championship Test match yesterday against Argentina, with prop Angus Bell scoring the clinching try in the sixth minute of added time to give Australia a comeback 28-24 win. The Wallabies were awarded three kickable penalties after the 80th minute, but kept pushing in search of the match-winning try, which was finally delivered by an unlikely hero in reserve prop Bell. “It’s just relieving,” Bell said. “It’s just awesome we could get the win in the end; not go for
Mikel Merino on Sunday scored a hat-trick as a majestic Spain thumped Turkey 6-0 away in World Cup qualifying, while a brilliant Florian Wirtz free-kick helped Germany beat Northern Ireland 3-1 to get their bid up and running. European champions Spain were in unstoppable form in the central Turkish city of Konya, claiming their second biggest-ever away win in World Cup qualifying as Arsenal midfielder Merino scored his first professional hat-trick. Barcelona playmaker Pedri Gonzalez opened the scoring inside six minutes and later completed the scoring, with Ferran Torres netting the visitors’ other goal. The quality of Merino’s strikes was remarkable, with his
RSS