Jobaaj Stories
Zheng Qinwen caused controversy during her fourth-round match against Marta Kostyuk at the Indian Wells Open. Before the match began, Kostyuk was practicing volleys during the warm-up, but Qinwen suddenly refused to continue, despite time still remaining on the clock.
The unexpected move left Kostyuk confused and seemingly rattled. She complained to the chair umpire, who reset the warm-up clock and asked Qinwen to continue. However, the psychological impact was evident as Kostyuk struggled during the match, eventually losing 3-6, 2-6.
Boris Becker Reacts to the Incident
The unusual incident even caught the attention of tennis legend Boris Becker, who reacted with shock on social media, replying to a tweet about the situation with a simple, “What ?!?”
Qinwen Advances to Face Iga Swiatek
With this win, Qinwen has now reached her first quarter-final of the season, where she will face two-time Indian Wells champion Iga Swiatek. The Polish star has been dominant throughout the tournament, losing only six games so far.
Qinwen’s recent success can be credited to the return of her coach, Pere Riba, who was absent due to hip surgery. Riba played a key role in Qinwen’s gold medal-winning run at the Paris Olympics, where she also defeated Swiatek in the semi-finals. However, Swiatek still holds a 6-1 lead in their head-to-head record, making her the favorite going into the match.
