Daria Kasatkina’s turbulent switch to Australian colours hit a crushing low at the Madrid Open, where she squandered four match points in a heartbreaking first-round loss to lucky loser Daria Snigur. The defeat dragged her down to world No. 83, her lowest ranking in 11 years, leaving the Catalonia Open as her only flicker of revival. Yet even there, against Emiliana Arango, she was forced into a chaotic, hard-fought battle to survive.
Reflecting on the rollercoaster, Kasatkina admitted, “You know, it always happens like this to me.” Her frustration was evident, shaped by a string of difficult matches. She went further, laying bare her mental battle, saying, “It’s a little bit tough times for me, every match is a battle, so I have to, as we spoke with my coach, I have to swim in the sh*t a little bit for now.”
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Daria Kasatkina and Emiliana Arango produced a truly chaotic contest at the Catalonia Open, where momentum swung wildly for over two hours. What unfolded was far from routine, as both players were pushed to their limits. Kasatkina looked in control early but let a double break advantage slip away. The match quickly turned into a test of nerve as the Russian struggled to close it out.
She then found herself staring at defeat, forced to save two match points under intense pressure. Despite the collapse, she clawed her way back with resilience and edged through 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 to reach Round 2.
The drama did not end with the scoreline, as the final point itself descended into confusion. At match point in the tiebreak, Arango served, but the Electronic Line Calling system failed at a crucial moment.
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The umpire called the ball out even though Arango managed to return it. Both players paused at the net for nearly a minute, waiting for confirmation on whether the ball was in or out.
With no video footage available and officials in discussion, the uncertainty lingered. Eventually, Arango accepted the decision, shook hands with Kasatkina, and conceded the match.
Now through to the Round of 16, Kasatkina will face Laura Pigossi. Given the struggles she has endured, including a pause in her career last year, this hard-fought comeback may feel like a much-needed lifeline.
And the ongoing controversy around the Electronic Line Calling system has become a recurring disruption, with multiple matches now being halted due to the same underlying problem.
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Alexander Zverev slams tech error mid-match at Madrid Open
Even before the match between Daria Kasatkina and Emiliana Arango was halted due to issues with the Electronic Line Calling system, the Madrid Open had already witnessed similar problems.
A notable incident occurred during Alexander Zverev’s match against Terence Atmane, which was also affected by a questionable call. After taking the first set 6-3, Zverev was in control, serving at 4-2 and 15-0 in the second set, when the situation suddenly shifted.
During a long rally, a forehand from Atmane appeared to drift beyond the baseline, prompting Zverev to immediately stop the point and react. He stood with his arms spread wide, staring toward the chair umpire in disbelief, clearly convinced the ball had landed out.
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However, the call went against him as the system ruled the ball in, leaving no room for an on-court correction. The chair umpire responded calmly, saying, “You know I have to take what the system says, right?” That explanation did little to settle Zverev’s frustration.
A day earlier, Elena Rybakina had found herself in a similarly heated dispute during her match against Zheng Qinwen. After losing the opening set, Rybakina was already under pressure, but the match soon became about more than just competition.
At 4-3 in the second set, a tense moment sparked fresh controversy when a serve from Zheng was ruled in by the electronic system. Rybakina immediately showed disbelief and pointed toward the ball mark on the clay, convinced the call was incorrect.
She approached chair umpire Julie Kjendlie to challenge the decision, seeking clarity on what she believed was an obvious error.
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“I can’t go down. How it looks there and how it is usually looks different. That is the mark, but I cannot go down. What I see from here is that it is very close. What I see over there, it is just touching [the line].”
The umpire responded with a clear procedural explanation, but Rybakina remained unconvinced, and her frustration became increasingly visible.
These repeated incidents highlight a growing pattern, as similar issues have now surfaced even at Challenger 125 events, extending the controversy beyond top-tier tournaments.
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