Aryna Sabalenka took a picture of a disputed ball mark during her quarter-final win against Elise Mertens at the Stuttgart Open.
The world number one disagreed with a line call on a key point when she was down a break. During the changeover with Mertens leading 4-3, Sabalenka asked umpire Miriam Bley to check the ball mark. She then walked over herself and used a phone from her team to take a photo of it. This led to a warning from the umpire for unsportsmanlike behavior.
Despite the incident, Sabalenka stayed focused, broke back immediately, and went on to win the match 6-4, 6-1. After the match, she shook hands with the umpire and later said, “That was a very strong handshake—never had one like that before.”
When asked if she squeezed back, she replied, “No, it’s fine. Why would I play that game?”
Sabalenka will now face Jasmine Paolini in the semi-final after the Italian defeated Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-3.
Earlier, Jelena Ostapenko beat Iga Swiatek 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, continuing her perfect record against the world number two with her sixth straight win.
Ostapenko has now become the first player to beat Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam winner, on all surfaces — once on grass, four times on hard courts, and now on clay.
Swiatek often finds it hard to handle Ostapenko’s powerful shots, which rush her forehand and cause mistakes.
Swiatek had an impressive 11-1 record in Stuttgart and had won the tournament in both 2022 and 2023, but she couldn’t stop Ostapenko this time.
Ostapenko hit 29 winners compared to Swiatek’s 17, and Swiatek’s eight double faults made it easier for Ostapenko to take advantage of her second serves.
Ostapenko broke Swiatek’s serve three times to win the first set. Although Swiatek fought back to take the second, Ostapenko quickly took control in the final set, winning 12 of the first 15 points and sealing the match when Swiatek hit a long forehand.
“She’s a great player on clay, but I’ve won the French Open too, so I can say the same about myself,” said 27-year-old Ostapenko.
“I really respect her and her team, but every time we play, it’s a real fight, and I’m always ready.”
Ostapenko will now face Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semi-final. Alexandrova beat third seed Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-4.
