"Don't know which is worse, the umpire or the player" - Lucia Bronzetti on Taylor Townsend denying racket touch during Miami Open 1R rally

Lucia Bronzetti has criticized opponent Taylor Townsend for denying a racquet touch during a rally in the first round of the 2024 Miami Open. She has also expressed her disappointment with the chair umpire's apparent oversight.

Bronzetti and Townsend squared off for a spot in the Miami second round on Tuesday, March 19. Townsend eventually won the hard-fought battle 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. However, one particular rally during the deciding set left a bad taste in Bronzetti's mouth.

Townsend was up 5-4 and serving at 30-0. After a couple of shots, the American rushed to the net. In response, Bronzetti hit a lob, forcing Townsend back towards the baseline.

Townsend took her time to asses the ball that landed outside the line, giving her triple match point.

Bronzetti shared her coach's clip of the rally on social media. She claimed that Townsend's racquet had touched the ball before it landed and should have been called by the chair umpire or conceded by Townsend out of sportsmanship.

"Don't know which is worse... the chair umpire or the player who denied it," wrote Bronzetti on Instagram.

Screengrab from Lucia Bronzetti's Instagram

Here is a closer look at the controversial rally:

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Taylor Townsend to clash with Elise Mertens in R2 of Miami Open

Taylor Townsend at the 2024 Australian Open

Taylor Townsend is set to clash with former World No. 12 Elise Mertens in the second round of the 2024 Miami Open on Thursday, March 21. This will be their first meeting on the tour.

Townsend has recorded Round-of-16 finishes at the ATX Open and the Adelaide International this season. In Miami, she came through the qualifiers before defeating Lucia Bronzetti in the first round.

In a post-match interview with Tennis Channel, the 27-year-old Chicago native shared her excitement at playing her long-time on-tour peer Mertens next.

"I'm excited. I think it's going to be a great matchup. Me and Elise have known each other for a really long time. We played juniors against each other quite often, so we're very familiar with each other's games, so I'm excited for it," she said [at 8:07]

Mertens has had a good start to the year. Highlights from her 2024 season so far include a runner-up finish at the Hobart International and reaching the quarterfinals of the Linz Open. The 25th seed will come into the match after receiving a first-round bye.