Recent video footage from the Hungarian Grand Prix has cast the tournament in a bad light. Zhang Shuai and Amarissa Kiara Toth were playing against each other when a dramatic incident led to Zhang Shuai retiring in the middle of the match. Shuai’s opponent and the crowd have been widely criticized since this incident came to light.
The Chinese ace Zhang was tied with Toth at 5-5 when the incident occurred. Zhang was serving and shot a forehand which took a chunk of the line with it. When the umpire got up to inspect it, he declared that the ball was out.
The call was contested by Zhang as everyone could see the mark left behind by the ball and that she should have won the point. She asked for a supervisor to double-check, but the umpire refused to call either a supervisor or any other match official.
This call spurred Toth into action, as she purposely got rid of the ball mark. The 18-year-old Toth, a local, took advantage of the situation as Zhang lost her serve.
A glaring display of bad sportsmanship.
Shuai Zhang’s opponent, Kiara Toth, erased a ball mark as Zhang was pleading to speak with a supervisor about a bad call
“Wait, wait, keep the mark”
Zhang was booed & retired from the match
Awful. Just awful 💔
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 18, 2023
Zhang was completely thrown off by the act and the hostility of the crowd. She could not continue and retired from the match. This incident did not sit well with fans around the world. They shared their opinions on the matter.
The sense of injustice can be overpowering.
— Louis (@jvs929) July 19, 2023
What a weak umpire to allow Toth to erase the evidence so blatantly in front of everyone’s eyes.
Surely it was Toth that the crowd should be booing, not Zhang.— Jeff the Nemophilist* ☘🌲🦘🌳🦉 📖🎾🦜 (@JeffMNeale) July 19, 2023
And on top of that, when Zhang shook her hand after retiring Toth immediately raised her arms in the air for victory. Taunting Zhang. Unbelievably nasty attitude from the young player.
— Jeremy (@Jeremy_Homschek) July 19, 2023
You’re telling me Zhang got booed? Tennis crowds are getting worse by the day. Genuinely awful everywhere.
— Bibek Kumar Basa (@bibekkbasa) July 18, 2023
Not only did Toth display terrible sportsmanship by removing the mark, but she also refused to shake hands with Zhang. 34-year-old Zhang, ranked no. 45 in the world, left in tears.
The stigma surrounding the mental health of tennis players
This incident reflects badly on the WTA and 18-year-old Toth. Shuai has been open about her struggles with mental health. Unfortunately, it is still frowned upon.
Shuai has not been performing well on the court and then there is the added pressure from the Chinese media. Add an incident like this on top of it, and it is bound to take a toll on anyone.
While mental health issues are being spoken about, unfortunately, they are still frowned upon. Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu, and Garbine Muguruza, all big names in tennis, have taken breaks from the game, citing mental health concerns.
A lot of these incidents get swept under the rug, and this incident is only the tip of the iceberg. There is no way of knowing what goes on behind the scenes.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021
This was a new low for the WTA tour. Kiara Toth’s behavior was completely unacceptable and, frankly, disgraceful. It is not known if the young player will be penalized for her actions.