Aryna Sabalenka comments on ‘mistake’ made during Alexander Zverev’s match in Madrid as she calls for tennis rule change on clay

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Aryna Sabalenka continues her superb season at the Italian Open, which comes right after she won the Madrid Open.

WTA number one Sabalenka is the top seed at the Italian Open, with her first match coming against either Dayana Yastremska or Anastasia Potapova.

She has been handed a bye into the second round of the WTA 1000 event, which is currently underway in Rome.

Sabalenka defeated Coco Gauff in the Madrid Open final earlier this month, with the Belarusian beating the American 6-3, 7-6(7-3).

Gauff’s double fault issue reared its head once more in Spain, but she has risen to third in the world rankings after reaching the final.

Aryna Sabalenka wants clay rule change after Madrid Open controversy

Sabalenka meanwhile had an issue at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix last month, having been asked in her opening press conference in Rome what she made of the electronic line calling in Madrid compared to that event in Stuttgart.

“I think in Madrid was much better,” she said. “Me personally, I didn’t see any mistakes. I know there was [an] interesting situation with Alexander [Zverev] which is quite obvious for me that was a mistake.

READ MORE: ‘Class act’ Coco Gauff praised by tennis fans for what she did immediately after losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final

“I think they figured the system on another day. My situation was much worse because the referee actually got down, checked the mark, and called it out, where it was obviously in.

“Not every referee are strong enough to accept their mistake and to, yeah, make a right call. Once again, we [are] all making mistakes and it’s okay.

“Right now I prefer the Hawk-Eye system. I trust it more with most of the referees. Most of the referees, lately I had the best referees.

“Even if it wouldn’t be a Hawk-Eye system, I would trust them. I think maybe it’s better, so less tension between the player and the referee.”

Alexander Zverev and Aryna Sabalenka take photos of court after frustrating decisions

ATP star Zverev was booed by fans at the Madrid Open for his actions, in which he took a photograph of the clay court during his meeting with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Sabalenka did the same in Stuttgart, with the duo taking matters into their own hands after being left disappointed by the official calls made.

READ MORE: Alexander Zverev calls for rule change after controversy in his Madrid Open win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

The Belarusian went on to lose the final in Germany, with Zverev falling in the Madrid Open round of 16 after winning his match with Fokina.

With the clay-court season now continuing, players across the WTA and ATP tours are likely to be involved in similar controversies over the coming fortnight.