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French Open director and former tennis pro, Amelie Mauresmo, recently gave her verdict on Miyu Kato and her doubles partner Aldila Sutjiadi's disqualification from the Grand Slam tournament.
Kato and Sutjiadi were disqualified from the women's doubles event at the 2023 French Open during their third-round clash against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo.
The incident occurred when Kato unintentionally struck a ball girl while passing the ball back to the backcourt after a point. Kato also forfeited all of her 21,500 euros (about $23,000) in prize money and ranking points from women's doubles.
Amelie Mauresmo was asked to comment on the situation during a press conference, and she acknowledged that opinions varied about the decision.
"I think the locker room is pretty divided on this. I have heard, yes, a lot of people or a lot of players actually saying that it's not fair. I have heard some saying that, well, if you make a ball girl cry for about seven, eight minutes or more, then it means something," Mauresmo said.
Mauresmo declined to offer her personal comment on the situation, saying that it is easier to make judgements with video evidence, which apparently was not available to the tour supervisor and the referee. The officials had to take the decision on the spot, based on the report from the other doubles duo, Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo.
"So, you know, I'm not going to comment, because when you see a video after you take a decision is always easier. The decision has been made by the tour supervisor and the referee. Without seeing the video, you come to the court. You have to make a judgment based on something that you didn't see, based on the fact that someone are reporting to you," she said.
The French Open director then stated that because the ball girl was in tears after the incident, a decision had to be made. Mauresmo added that the clay court Major's decision to keep Miyu Kato in mixed doubles was indeed something positive.
"And when you see a ball girl cry for that long, I guess that's when you have to make some kind of decision. It's just facts. I'm not going to comment on whether it's good or bad. It is what it is," Mauresmo said.
"Then it goes to the Grand Slam rule book, which is pretty clear. It was also the decision of the tournament to keep her in the mixed doubles, which I think was also something positive at least for her," she added.
Miyu Kato wins French Open mixed doubles title
Miyu Kato put the disappointment of her controversial disqualification in the doubles event behind her and clinched the mixed doubles title at the French Open on Thursday (June 8).
Kato, alongside her partner Tim Puetz, emerged victorious by defeating the duo of 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and Michael Venus from New Zealand with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 10-6.
Kato and Puetz played together for the first time at the 2023 French Open. The victory marked a first mixed doubles title for both athletes, who did not drop a set in the tournament before the final.
