Google News WTA Bogotà 2021: A REFREE SCANDAL!
by LORENZO CIOTTI
The tournament in Bogotà, in Colombia, is an appointment of the main women's Tour belonging to the WTA 250 category, established in 1998 and which in the course of its history has seen the triumph of three Italian players: Flavia Pennetta in 2005, Roberta Vinci in 2007 and Francesca Schiavone in 2017.
Last year the event was not held, while in 2019 - the last edition before the Coronavirus pandemic - it was Amanda Anisimova who triumphed against the Australian Astra Sharma.
The scandal of the match between Sharma and Gatto-Monticone
It was the latter, born in Singapore in 1995, who a few hours ago became her protagonist despite a refree scandal in the first round match that she saw as opposed to Italian Giulia Gatto-Monticone.
On the score of an even set and 1-1 in the decisive set, the Italian was 0-40 on her serve, with the possibility, therefore, for Sharma to go ahead with a precious break. However, in the video you can clearly hear the referee calling 30-15, completely confusing the score.
Then when it would have been 15-40, after a response from the Australian, 40-15 is called, then - following an error by the Italian and therefore conquest of the game by Sharma - the referee continues by declaring the 40-30 and finally even the game in Monticone, with the two players apparently unaware of what happened.
At the end of the match, won by the tennis player born in Turin for 4-6 7-5 6-1, Sharma made it known on Twitter: "Update: the WTA supervisor said I should learn my lesson and focus more on scoring instead. than on my tennis in the future.
My confusion is no excuse."
Disastrous umpiring as @astrasharma isn't given the break of serve she deserved. Umpire calls score as 30-15 when it should have been 0-40 and from there it's one big mess. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/OzXvqqkiOP — The Overrule (@theoverrule) April 6, 2021