Sara Errani blows up after chair umpire makes a terrible call
MASON, Ohio -- Sara Errani was left fuming after an inexplicable overrule by the chair umpire may have cost her a point in the middle of the third set of her first round match against Yanina Wickmayer at the Western and Southern Open.
At three-all, deuce in the final set, Errani hit a serve that landed well in the service box, but the chair umpire Richard Haigh overruled it as a fault. Incredulous, the Italian called for a Hawkeye challenge which showed the ball in. The chair umpire called for the point to be replayed and Errani popped off, saying that Wickmayer's return landed wide and the umpire's overrule came after Wickmayer struck the return.
"Sara, I saw the ball like this," Haigh said. "I made the mistake, it's my mistake, but we have to replay [the point]."
This was a terrible overrule, no doubt. But is Errani right that she deserved the point? It isn't clear whether Wickmayer's return landed in or out and the line umpire never made a call because of the service overrule. In fact, if the ball was in, then Wickmayer has all the right to be angry, as it would appear to have robbed her of a clean return winner. Regardless of the error, Errani went on to win 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (2).
Watch the whole exchange below:
(h/t @theoverule)