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Rafael Nadal apologized on behalf of the Barcelona Open crowd after they taunted his first-round opponent Flavio Cobolli, while, Iga Swiatek downplayed queries regarding her rivalry with Emma Raducanu at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
Meanwhile, a tennis interviewer faced criticism for his question aimed at Alex de Minaur after defeating Rafael Nadal in the second round at the Barcelona Open. Stefanos Tsitsipas' father Apostolos received backlash for his constant chatter during Greek's semifinal clash against Dusan Lajovic in Barcelona.
Also, Laura Siegemund received criticism for her response to a contentious call during her first-round match against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk in Stuttgart.
On that note, here's a recap of the top controversies from last week:
Rafael Nadal apologized on behalf of Barcelona Open fans after they taunted his 1R opponent
Rafael Nadal apologized to Flavio Cobolli during their first-round match at the 2024 Barcelona Open after rowdy Spanish fans taunted the Italian. Nadal, who had returned to the tour following a nearly three-month break, defeated Cobolli 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 26 minutes.
As the match neared its end, a tense situation arose when a spectator mocked Flavio Cobolli by shouting "arrivederci Flavio" (farewell Flavio), prompting Nadal to shake his head in disapproval and apologize to Cobolli on behalf of the crowd.
Watch the video below:
Rafael Nadal's Barcelona campaign came to an end in the second round where he lost 7-5, 6-1 to fourth seed Alex de Minaur.
Tennis interviewer drew flak for question aimed at Alex de Minaur after upsetting Rafael Nadal in Barcelona 2R
A tennis interviewer faced backlash for asking Alex de Minaur if his second-round win over Rafael Nadal would make him unpopular in Barcelona.
“I think you could be the most unpopular person in Barcelona. Are you ok with that?” asked the interviewer in a post-match interaction.
De Minaur acknowledged that the match's context heavily influenced the outcome, suggesting it would have been different if Nadal were in his prime and injury-free.
“I can say I’m very very fortunate I didn’t play Rafa a couple years earlier on clay. It would’ve been a very very different result..” replied De Minaur.
Alex de Minaur concluded his Barcelona campaign in the Round of 16, where he lost 7-5, 6-2 to 16th seed Arthur Fils.
Tennis journalist faced criticism for probing Iga Swiatek on her rivalry with Emma Raducanu
A journalist received backlash for probing World No. 1 Iga Swiatek on her rivalry with Emma Raducanu following the former's 7-6(2), 6-3 victory in the quarterfinals at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
In a post-match press conference, Swiatek was asked to share her thoughts on the clash with Raducanu.
"Is Emma someone you would look forward to play many more matches? Seems like good matchup, it was great match two years ago, another great match today, so it seems like a good fit?" she was asked in her post-match press conference.
In response, the World No. 1 downplayed any potential significance to her rivalry with the Brit.
"I mean, we have plenty of players to play against on WTA Tour, so I wouldn't say Emma is the one specific that I'm looking forward to play with," she responded. "Because we have tough matchups (on the tour) every week. Doesn't really matter for me."
However, some tennis fans were taken aback by the question and voiced their displeasure on social media.
Iga Swiatek failed to defend her title at Stuttgart, as she lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to the eventual champion Elena Rybakina.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' father Apostolos called out for his constant chatter during Greek's SF clash in Barcelona
Chair umpire Nacho Forcadell shut down Stefanos Tsitsipas' father Apostolos for repeatedly communicating with his son between points during his 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory against Dusan Lajovic in the semifinals of the 2024 Barcelona Open.
This incident sparked strong disapproval from fans on social media, who criticized Apostolos for his actions.
Stefanos Tsitsipas lost 7-5, 6-3 to third seed Casper Ruud in a rematch of last week's Monte-Carlo final, where the Greek clinched a straight-set victory.
Laura Seigemund came under fire for her response to contentious call against Marta Kostyuk in Stuttgart 1R clash
Laura Siegemund faced backlash for disputing a call during her 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4 loss to Marta Kostyuk in the first round at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
During the third set, Kostyuk's shot was initially called out but overturned after a challenge. However, Siegemund argued she would've returned the ball had it not been for the call. The umpire replayed the point, leading to frustration from Kostyuk. The German eventually won the point and broke Kostyuk.
Many fans expressed their frustration at Siegemund’s behavior on social media.
Marta Kostyuk went on to reach the final in Stuttgart where she lost 6-2, 6-2 to fourth seed Elena Rybakina.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
