Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova was criticised for breaking an unwritten tennis rule during her semi-final win over Aryna Sabalenka.
American 13th seed Anisimova stunned world number one Sabalenka to reach her first Grand Slam final.
With three major titles to her name, Sabalenka was the pre-tournament favourite at the All England Club but came unstuck to the talented Anisimova, losing 4-6 6-4 4-6 in a thrilling match on Centre Court.
Sabalenka was bidding to reach her first Wimbledon final and ultimately tick off her third Grand Slam following wins at the Australian and US Opens.
But instead world number 13 Anisimova will feature in Saturday’s Wimbledon final against Iga Swiatek, who thumped Belinda Bencic in straight sets.
Sabalenka admitted Anisimova was ‘the better player’ in an enthralling semi-final but was left disappointed at her opponent for breaking an unwritten rule during the match.
Leading 4-2 in the third set at up 40-30, Anisimova got a lucky break as a flat forehand thumped into the top of the net before going over and leaving Sabalenka virtually helpless to respond.
Anisimova raised her arm in celebration but did not offer an apology to Sabalenka, which is generally the done thing in such circumstances.
Sabalenka confronted Anisimova at the changeover, asking her opponent why she didn’t offer at least an apologetic hand, but the American ignored the question and quickly sat down.
Former world number five Daniela Hantuchova said on BBC One: ‘Amanda not giving any sign of an apology to Sabalenka after that net call.’
Two-time Grand Slam champion Tracy Austin added: ‘She’s too thankful to win that seventh game to worry about apologising.’
Sabalenka took a swipe at Anisimova for breaking the unwritten rule in her press conference.
‘I just looked at her and, I mean, for sure she didn’t hear me,’ she said. ‘I was like, “you don’t want to say sorry?” She just wanted, I guess, to badly win the match.
‘It’s on her. If she doesn’t feel like saying sorry, that’s on her. Like, she barely got that point and she didn’t feel like saying sorry for that tricky situation.’
That was not the only thing Anisimova did to anger Sabalenka, who also accused her opponent of ‘celebrating too early’ after points.
Umpires can intervene if a player is deemed to have, intentionally or unintentionally, broken the ‘hindrance’ rule by disrupting their opponent’s ability to play the ball or affected the outcome of a point.
Asked about the incident in question, Sabalenka said: ‘I was just trying to chase the ball. She was already celebrating it.
‘It was a bit too early. Then she kind of p**** me off saying that it’s what she does all the time. I was grateful that she actually said that because it actually helped me to keep fighting.
‘I was like, okay, now I’m going to show you the tennis. So I came back because I got really angry in that moment.’
Anisimova, meanwhile, said she was not celebrating early and claimed the noise was instead a ‘long grunt’.
‘I wasn’t celebrating. It was just, like, a long grunt, I guess,’ said the Wimbledon finalist.
‘I don’t really know what was the deal there, to be honest, because I didn’t feel like it was that interfering.
‘But yeah, I tried to not do it again. It was just such a high-stakes match. I think we were both grunting a lot out there. We have a big game, so that’s the outcome of it.
‘I wasn’t really sure what the issue was, but I can play it back. Maybe I was a bit interfering. I don’t really know.’
Anisimova will face Swiatek in the Wimbledon final after the five-time Grand Slam champion smashed Switzerland’s Bencic 6-2 6-0.
‘Honestly I never even dreamt that it was going to be possible for me to play in the final so I’m just super excited and just proud of myself,’ said Swiatek, who has previously struggled on grass.
‘Tennis keeps surprising me, I thought I lived through everything even though I’m young. I thought I’d experienced everything on the court.
‘I didn’t experience playing well on grass so that’s the first time and I’m super excited and enjoying it.’
