Iga Swiatek's crushing quarter-final victory over Emma Navarro is overshadowed by another bizarre Australian Open technology row
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Another crushing win for Iga Swiatek was overshadowed by a row over the Australian Open’s new video review technology. The Polish No 2 seed thrashed Emma Navarro 6-1, 6-2 to set up a semi-final against Madison Keys. Navarro briefly threatened to make a match of it as she pushed for a break of serve at 2-2 in the second set and it was then that the controversy occurred.
With Swiatek serving at her advantage, Navarro played an excellent drop shot. Swiatek chased it down and scooped it back up, going on to win the point. As soon as the point, and game, was over, Navarro immediately turned to umpire Eva Asderaki and asked to challenge the call, insisting the ball had bounced twice before Swiatek retrieved it.
Video challenges have been introduced at this Australian Open, whereby players can contest judgement calls made by the umpire - such as double bounces. But the rules state that players must stop the point to make a challenge, rather than waiting until the rally was finished, and so Navarro was unable to intervene. As Navarro and Swiatek sat in their chairs for the changeover, there followed the ridiculous spectacle of the point being replayed in slow motion over and over again on the big screen and everyone seeing clear as day that the ball bounced twice.
The crowd murmured and Navarro said: ‘Do you see that?’ to umpire Asderaki, who was powerless to correct her mistake. Iga Swiatek's match against Emma Navarro was overshadowed by a bizarre ruling, after Swiatek had appeared to play a shot after it bounced twice.