Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, organizers said on Tuesday, amid a racism row over an online photograph.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
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