Tennis controversies of the week: Miami Open champion Danielle Collins reiterates her stance on retirement, James Blake under fire after Casper Ruud bemoans lack of facilities at the tournament

Rohit
Danielle Collins and Casper Ruud, (inset) James Blake.
Danielle Collins and Casper Ruud, (inset) James Blake.

Danielle Collins was the centre of attention at the Miami Open for various reasons. Not only did she win the biggest title of her career, she also put an end to speculation about whether she will rethink her retirement later this season.

A faulty electronic call during Daria Kasatkina's third-round defeat to Sorana Cristea in Miami once again raised questions about the over-reliance on technology. Holger Rune's explantion for his early exit from the tournament left a sour taste in the mouth.

The drama surrounding Simona Halep's doping saga was reignited once again. James Blake's competence as the tournament director was questioned after Casper Ruud's criticism.

On that note, here's a brief look into the controversies of the week gone by:


#1 - Danielle Collins attributes frequent reconsideration of retirement plans to sexism

Collins's stellar campaign at the recently concluded Miami Open ended with claiming her maiden WTA 1000 title. She was in impressive form throughout the week and was constantly asked if she would think twice about walking away from the sport at the end of the season.

This is set to be Collins final year as a professional, as announced by her in January, as she intends to start a family. She set the record straight after her semifinal win over Caroline Garcia in Miami. The American feels if she was a man, her retirement decision wouldn't have been constantly second-guessed.

"You know, I find it so interesting, because I kind of felt like when I was announcing my retirement, everyone has been so, like, congratulating me and so excited for me," Collins said in her post-match press conference.
"But then on the other hand, I feel like I have had to justify my decision a lot. I feel like if I was a guy, I probably wouldn't have to justify it that much," she added.

After her triumph at the Miami Open, Collins is set to compete in the Charleston Open. She will up against former World No. 2 Paula Badosa in the first round on Tuesday (April 2).


#2 - Fans irked by Chris Evert after she urged Danielle Collins to delay her retirement plans

Chris Evert at the WTA Finals.
Chris Evert at the WTA Finals.

Collins gave a clear-cut response about hanging up her racquet for good during her Miami Open run. However, that didn't stop Evert from asking her to think twice about it when she sent a congratulatory message for winning the title.

"A big Hug and Congratulations to Danielle Collins in winning the #Miami Open. Spectacular play throughout the whole tournament....but....Are you really sure you want to retire?," Chris Evert wrote on X.

Considering the comment was made just days after Collins clarified her thoughts on the matter, it rubbed off some people the wrong way.


#3 - James Blake's dismissive attitude about Casper Ruud's concerns at the Miami Open causes an uproar

Ruud is generally regarded as one of the tour's calmest personalities. However, even he couldn't reign in his temper when faced with below par facilities at the Miami Open. He complained to the chair umpire about a shortage of water bottles and towels during his second round match against Luca Van Assche.

Tournament director Blake's explanation regarding the issue added further fuel to the fire.

"I wish it had been handled in a different way," he told the Miami Herald. "The best way is to talk to me. Don’t go on the court, and rant and rave about it. But I totally understand, being a competitor, he was in the heat of the battle."
"We’ve all had a bad day out on the court and said some things," he said about Casper Ruud. "He had just gotten broken, and that’s frustrating time. So, I get it and no hard feelings."

Fans felt that Blake didn't take into account Ruud's valid concerns and a tournament of Miami's stature should be lacking in such aspects.


#4 - Faulty Electronic line call at the Miami Open once again raises questions of its accuracy

Daria Kasatkina at the Miami Open.
Daria Kasatkina at the Miami Open.

Sorana Cirstea beat Daria Kasatkina 7-5, 6-2 in the third round of the Miami Open, but the match wasn't without its fair share of controversies. A faulty electronic line call during a crucial juncture left the Russian fuming.

Cirstea hit a serve that was called as an ace despite the camera later showing that it was out. The umpire didn't overrule the call even though Kasatkina argued about it.

Fans were up in arms about the whole thing and felt that Kasatkina got the short end of the stick. It isn't the first time that something like this has happened on the tour, as such instances come to light every few weeks.


#5 - Holger Rune's excuses following his early Miami Open exit leaves fans fuming

Fabian Marozsan handed Rune a 6-1, 6-1 beatdown to eliminate him in the second round of the Miami Open. The young Dane reflected on his short time at the tournament and felt that he should've just pulled out from it, as he wasn't feeling too well.

"Unfortunately this was the end of @miamiopen. I knew I wasn't feeling 100% well today but I didn't imagine my energy level would be so low. Looking back I should've pulled out.
"But it's always difficult because I had been preparing and wanting to play for a week. Time to go back to Europe. Thanks for the support Miami," Rune wrote on X (formerly Twitter)."

Fans weren't too pleased with Rune's reasoning and felt that it took away from how well his opponent competed that day. The 20-year old's antics have often raised some eyebrows despite his talent and results.


#6 - Grigor Dimitrov leaves the internet divided after brushing shoulders with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner

Grigor Dimitrov at the Miami Open.
Grigor Dimitrov at the Miami Open.

Dimitrov scored one of the most memorable wins of his career, as he bested World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open. Plenty of celebrities attended the match, including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

The Bulgarian then posed for a quick photo with the two and interacted with them briefly. The opinion online was quite divided, as some felt that it was unnecessary for him to associate himself with Trump, but others defended his action.

Dimitrov eventually finished as the runner-up to Jannik Sinner in Miami, who beat him 6-3, 6-1 in the final. Nevertheless, the Bulgarian returned to the top 10 after more than five years.


#7 - New claims by journalist in Simona Halep's doping case leaves fans disappointed

Halep recently returned to the tour following the conclusion of her doping scandal at the Miami Open, where she was given a wildcard. She was initially given a four-year ban after testing positive for roxadustat, but she maintained her innocence and appealed the ban.

Halep was victorious in her appeal and her ban was reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sports. However, journalist David Walsh in his recent article for The Times claimed that the organization overlooked critical details in the Romanian's case with respect to the amount of roxadustat found in her blood sample.

After digging through the claims made by Walsh, some fans expressed their disappointment in Halep. They felt that the former World No. 1 was let off lightly and was being welcomed with open arms following such a huge scandal.

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