Elena Rybakina’s march into the quarterfinals at Indian Wells came under unusual circumstances when Sonay Kartal was forced to retire mid-match with a leg injury. Yet the contest had already delivered a spark, as Rybakina boldly challenged a chair umpire’s call. Moments later, the decision was overturned, adding a brief twist before the abrupt finish.

Sonay Kartal stepped forward during one rally and played a soft backhand drop shot at the net. The shot appeared to win her the point at first. However, her forward momentum carried her into the net before the ball had bounced twice on the other side.

Elena Rybakina reacted immediately and challenged the call. She believed Kartal had touched the net while the ball was still in play. The chair umpire reviewed the situation before making a final ruling.

After checking the play, the umpire confirmed the net touch. The original decision was overturned. The point was then awarded to the Kazakh star. The reversal sparked a loud reaction from the crowd, as many fans started booing the umpire for making the wrong call. Their frustration quickly turned into audible jeers around the stadium.

Despite the moment, Rybakina had already begun the match strongly. She controlled the early exchanges with calm and precise hitting. Soon she raced to a 4-1 lead in the opening set.

Kartal refused to fade away easily. She managed to break serve and reduce the gap. The score soon tightened to 4-3.

Not long after that push, Kartal called for a medical timeout. The world No. 54 received treatment on her leg. The stoppage raised early concerns about her physical condition.

When play resumed, Rybakina regained her composure. She held serve to move ahead 5-4. The pressure shifted back onto Kartal. Moments later, Kartal again asked for the physio. The leg issue continued to trouble her movement. Still, Rybakina stayed focused and closed the set 6-4.

The Kazakh star entered the second set with confidence. Kartal tried to battle through the pain and remain competitive. She held serve in her first three service games to keep the score level at 3-3.

However, the momentum soon changed again. Kartal dropped serve in the seventh game. With Rybakina leading by a set and a break, the 24-year-old decided she could not continue and retired.

Her exit marked the second retirement of the day in the women’s draw. Earlier, Katerina Siniakova had also withdrawn from her match against Elina Svitolina. 

And similar incidents involving net-touch rulings have occurred before on the WTA Tour and have often triggered heated reactions and debate.

Maria Sakkari sparks controversy after touching the ball near the net

A similar controversy unfolded at Indian Wells in 2023 during the Round of 16 match between Maria Sakkari and Karolina Pliskova. The incident quickly became one of the most debated moments of the tournament. It centered around a point that many believed had been wrongly awarded.

The situation happened in the eighth game of the deciding third set. Pliskova returned a ball on Sakkari’s serve that was called out. However, Sakkari was standing at the net and appeared to touch the ball with her racket before it landed.

According to tennis rules, that contact should have given the point to Pliskova. But neither Sakkari nor the chair umpire noticed the touch during the rally. As a result, the point was awarded to Sakkari.

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There was also no video review used to reassess the call during the match. The lack of replays frustrated many fans watching the contest. Television replays later showed that Sakkari’s racket had indeed touched the ball.

Despite the controversy, Sakkari eventually won the match 6-4, 5-7, 6-3. The tension between the two players was visible afterward. During the handshake, Pliskova avoided eye contact with Sakkari.

Pliskova later addressed the moment indirectly on social media. She posted a message thanking the tournament before shifting her focus to the next event. 

“Thanks IW, We bounce back, Offf to Miami babyyy,” Pliskova captioned her post.

Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina’s win over Sonay Kartal has now set up a quarterfinal clash against Jessica Pegula. The American reached the stage after defeating Belinda Bencic. The matchup will be a rematch of their Australian Open semifinal, where Rybakina emerged victorious.

Who do you think will come out on top this time and secure a spot in the Indian Wells semifinals?