‘Maybe nice guys finish last’ – Gauff’s analogy about her relationship with clay
Video credit: SNTV
The No. 2 seed in Spain came from a set down to record a 4-6 6-4 6-3 victory over Zheng, and set up a last-16 meeting against Anastasia Potapova.
But controversy in the second set was the key talking point in the post-match press conference of the world No. 2, as she addressed a flashpoint in the match which caused a tense exchange between herself and the umpire.
The incident came in the eighth game of the second set which was on serve. Zheng was awarded an ace which put her 40-0 ahead, but Rybakina immediately took umbrage with the decision – arguing that she could see the bounce of the ball in the clay, and that it clearly showed the ball to have landed out.
While Rybakina’s initial argument was inaudible on broadcast footage, she gestured with her fingers to show how far out the marking of the ball was from the service line, and appeared to ask umpire Julie Kjendlie to come down from the chair and look for herself.
“I can’t go down,” Kjendlie said. “How it looks there and how it is, usually looks different. What I can see from here is that it’s very close.”
Rybakina responded: “This is not a joke, the system is wrong. Well with this thing, I won’t trust it at all, because there was no mark even close to what the TV showed. It is absolutely wrong.”
‘I’m good to go’ – Sabalenka reveals how she has avoided the Madrid Open virus
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Such controversy is not an isolated incident at the Madrid Open. Last year, Alexander Zverev was given a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct when he resorted to taking a picture of the ball marking with a mobile phone following a shot he felt went wide.
Rybakina compared her incident to that of Zverev. “It was, I think, similar to what Zverev had last year because it was in front of her nose. You can’t not see it. It was pretty frustrating,” Rybakina added.
“It’s kind of a stolen point. I understand it was her serve and she was serving really well, but it’s really frustrating.”
Rybakina, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, is hoping to win back-to-back clay titles after claiming the recent Stuttgart crown.
She also reached the final of the Miami Open and semi-finals of Indian Wells, where she fell both times to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
On Monday, Sabalenka secured her place in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open with a three-set win against Naomi Osaka.
Like Rybakina, Sabalenka came from a set behind, uncharacteristically losing a tie-break 7-1 – and Osaka furthered her advantage by gaining an early break in the second set.
But Sabalenka immediately put the set back on serve, before going on to claim a crucial break for 5-3, holding to 15 to level the match.
With a deadly double-break in the third, Sabalenka avoided the scare and set up a last-eight meeting with Hailey Baptiste.
Highlights: Rybakina wins maiden Australian Open title with epic victory over Sabalenka
Video credit: TNT Sports
Coco Gauff, meanwhile, crashed out of the tournament with a 4-6 6-1 6-7(5) defeat to Linda Noskova.
Gauff will defend her French Open title in Paris next month, and remains on the hunt for her first title of the 2026 season. Her strongest run came in California as she reached the Indian Wells final, but was defeated by Sabalenka over three sets.
TNT Sports is the exclusive French Open broadcaster in the UK and Ireland. Coverage of every court will be available to stream live on HBO Max.