43-year-old tennis player Venus Williams disagreed with the umpire's decision that led to her defeat against Elina Svitolina with a score of 4-6, 3-6 in the first round of the Wimbledon women's singles.
In the ninth game of the second set, Svitolina served at match point. The ball landed slightly deep, prompting the umpire to call "Out," coincidentally as Williams hit a return error. The Ukrainian player protested as the ball had touched the line and was still in play. The umpire awarded the point to Svitolina, signifying victory for the 29-year-old player.
According to Tennis Discovery, Williams had grounds to complain as the umpire's call of "Out" might have affected her shot. However, players often attempt to play the ball back into the court in such situations, allowing the umpire to replay the point.
The American player shook hands with Svitolina but shook her head as she passed by the umpire. After the match, the 43-year-old player stated that she "completely disagreed with the umpire's decision."
Grass courts are Williams' preferred battleground, having won five out of her seven Grand Slam women's singles titles here. Svitolina, on the other hand, has the lowest winning percentage on grass courts, despite reaching the Wimbledon semifinals in 2019. The Wimbledon grass on the opening day was also damp due to rain.
Williams started the match well, leading 2-0 in the first set, but stumbled and fell at the net, losing the subsequent game. From then on, she struggled to reverse the situation and was eventually eliminated. "I started great and destroyed the match, but the court destroyed me," she said. "The injury made me feel sore and very difficult to focus back on the match."
Wimbledon is Williams' first Grand Slam tournament this year, and she aimed to become the oldest player to win a main draw match but fell short. Both Williams and Svitolina received wild card entries. In the second round, Svitolina will face Elise Mertens.