WATCH: Amarissa Toth makes public apology to Zhang Shuai over despicable behavior in their controversial round one match
The Hungarian player admitted that her actions during the match were inappropriate.
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L-Zhang Shuai, R-Amarissa Toth (Credits: InsideSports)
After her round two loss at the Hungarian Grand Prix to Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl, 20-year-old WTA debutante Amarissa Toth addressed the controversy and the public outcry during her previous match with China’s Zhang Shuai. Toth made a public apology during her post-match interview. She admitted that her actions during her round one match were inappropriate.
Notably, the move comes after a torrent of backlash was hurled towards her behavior during the match. The tournament too faced outrage for their weak defense and alleged racist comments to quell the issue.
“I respect Zhang Shuai as a person & just as much as an athlete. It was never my intention to disrespect, to upset, or to hurt anybody. I realize I shouldn’t have celebrated the way I did after the match,” Toth said.
The contentious call and the controversy that followed
During their round one encounter, Zhang found herself in a heated argument with the umpire over a contentious call. A crosscourt forehand shot by Zhang was called out by the line judge and umpire, despite appearing to land on the line. Seeking reconsideration for the call, Zhang approached the mark on the court. However, Toth intervened.
Video footage captured Toth approaching the mark and using her foot to erase it. This further escalated the tension between the players. Zhang immediately questioned Toth’s actions, but the Hungarian player responded dismissively, accusing Zhang of “making problems.” With the score at 6-5 in Toth’s favor, Zhang tearfully chose to retire from the match, unable to continue amidst the controversy.
With the public outcry over Toth’s behavior and the bad call that followed, the Hungarian Grand Prix’s Facebook page added fuel to the fire. In a reply to a comment, the page stated, “The Chinese are manipulating the world with manipulative video.” This response only intensified the outrage surrounding the incident and drew further attention to the behavior displayed by Toth.
Some fans still argue that the Hungarian’s response might be a tad bit too late, as her apology seems to have been motivated by the backlash she faced because of her behavior. They argued that it was not an admission of guilt as much as an attempt to escape public outrage. The behavior of new players, such as Toth, leads players and fans alike to ponder over whether newer players will sustain the integrity of the sport for the years to come.
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