Hungarian Open: Zhang retires against local player Toth after bad call and crowd booing takes its toll

China’s Shuai Zhang retired from her first round match at the Hungarian Open after a bad call and booing from the crowd left her in tears and unable to continue playing.

The second seed had hit a ball close to the line at 5-5 (15-15) which was called out and the chair umpire stuck by the decision. Zhang continued to plead her case with the chair umpire for the next few minutes even as the crowd backed her opponent, the local wildcard Amarissa Toth.

I went to check the controversial point between Shuai Zhang and Kiara Toth and I really don't have words for how bad the umpire was for this mark. @WTA it's really time you do something and investigate these, they can't make such big mistakes at this level. This is pure robbery pic.twitter.com/2jr6MY3tDU

— LorenaPopa 🕵️‍♀️🎾 (@popalorena) July 18, 2023

While play went on, later in the game, Toth went over to erase the ball mark in question even as Zhang asked her not to, leading to another round of discussions with the umpire and some more reactions from the crowd.

Wow I can't believe this, Toth went to wipe the mark despite Zhang keep shouting ''wait wait, keep the mark'' pic.twitter.com/qtKC7KGyAO

— LorenaPopa 🕵️‍♀️🎾 (@popalorena) July 18, 2023

While the score at 6-5 with Toth leading, Zhang was left in tears during the changeover. While the physio was called to attend to her, she decided she was not able to continue the match and went over to shake the hand of the umpire and her opponent.

This is so heartbreaking, she called the physio and I think she just couldn't handle the pressure and the feelings as she started crying so she retired from the match, the reaction from the crowd and especially Toth, loss for words. She didn't deserve to be treated like this 😪 pic.twitter.com/QVzqgPO7yy

— LorenaPopa 🕵️‍♀️🎾 (@popalorena) July 18, 2023

This was also Zhang’s 13th consecutive loss on the tour in 2023, her last win coming in February in Lyon

The 20-year-old Toth will face Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl next.

Budapest WTA 250, other round of 32 results (Római Tennis Academy, clay, USD 259,303)

• Nadia Podoroska (9) beat Storm Hunter: 1-6, 6-1, 6-1
• Yulia Putintseva (4) beat Kateryna Volodko (Q): 1-6, 6-2, 6-1
• Anna Bondar beat Timea Babos: 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
• Fanny Stollar (WC) beat Irene Burillo Escorihuela (Q): 7-5, 6-4
• Maria Timofeeva (LL) beat Daria Saville: 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
• Tamara Korpatsch beat Valentini Grammatikopoulou (LL): 6-4, 6-4
• Anna Siskova (Q) beat Evgeniya Rodina: 6-3, 6-0
• Diana Shnaider beat Bernarda Pera (1): 6-4, 7-5
• Kateryna Baindl beat Natalia Szabanin (WC): 6-4, 7-5
• Tatjana Maria (5) beat Carole Monnet: 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2
• Claire Liu beat Louisa Chirico (Q): 6-4, 6-4
• Kaja Juvan (Q) beat Kristina Kucova: 7-5, 6-2
• Elina Avanesyan (6) beat Rebecca Sramkova: 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
• Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (8) beat Polina Kudermetova: 6-2, 6-0
• Astra Sharma (Q) beat Kamilla Rakhimova (7): 6-3, 6-3