Kristina Mladenovic’s first match since her nightmarish end to the U.S. Open produced another collapse and a controversial umpire’s call at the French Open on Tuesday.
The French player lost to Laura Siegemund of Germany 7-5, 6-3 after serving for the first set at 5-1.
Written content by Jerome Pugmire via AP Sports via ABC News
PARIS — Kristina Mladenovic’s first match since her nightmarish end to the U.S. Open produced another collapse and a controversial umpire’s call at the French Open on Tuesday.
The French player lost to Laura Siegemund of Germany 7-5, 6-3 after serving for the first set at 5-1.
Mladenovic was furious with chair umpire Eva Asderaki for not spotting a double bounce on set point. During a 10-stroke exchange, Mladenovic hit a drop shot that Siegemund ran for and got back over the net — although a TV replay showed the ball bounced twice. Mladenovic slowed up, looked confused, and wound up touching the net, which automatically gave the point to Siegemund.
“Mistakes are human but I don’t see how the umpire can miss that. She didn’t see a double bounce,” Mladenovic said. “Unfortunately she will continue at Roland Garros, and I won’t continue at Roland Garros.”
For Novak Djokovic, though, his first Grand Slam action since his disqualification at the U.S. Open went as smoothly as can be.
The top-ranked Serb, who is bidding for a second title here and an 18th major title overall, beat Mikael Ymer of Sweden 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 under a closed roof at Court Philippe Chatrier. The first set lasted just 20 minutes and Djokovic broke the 80th-ranked Ymer nine times overall.
Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open this month for accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball hit in anger after dropping a game.
On Tuesday it was was Siegemund who faced questions of unsportsmanlike conduct for not acknowledging the double bounce that should have handed Mladenovic the first set. Read more from ABC News.
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