Emma Navarro’s brilliant Australian Open run has finally come to an end, with Iga Swiatek winning their quarter-final match.
Swiatek is into a seventh Grand Slam semi-final, where the WTA number two takes on Madison Keys, who overcame Elina Svitolina in their quarter-final.
The Pole already boasts five Grand Slam titles aged just 23, one of which was secured at the French Open last season.
Another success is very much on the cards at the Australian Open after her win over Navarro, although two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka is in the other semi-final.
Swiatek needed just 89 minutes to storm past Navarro 6-1, 6-2 at Rod Laver Arena, although their match certainly wasn’t without controversy.
Emma Navarro wants video review rule change after double-bounce controversy vs Iga Swiatek
The former world number one went ahead thanks to the dramatic winner at 2-2 in the second set, when she won a point despite the ball appearing to bounce twice on her side of the court.
Swiatek isn’t sure if it was a double-bounce, with Navarro having lost the point due to not stopping play at the time and challenging the lack of call.
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Asked in her post-match press conference what she said to chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore at the time, Navarro replied: “I didn’t stop playing. I played the next shot, so I couldn’t see a replay. Yeah, I asked her after the point if I could see a replay, and she said I played it, so I couldn’t see it.”
And questioned if players should be allowed to retrospectively review points afterwards, she said: “Yeah, I think it should be allowed to see after the point even if you play. It happened so fast. You hit the shot, and she hits it back, and you’re just, like, Oh, I guess I’m playing.
“You know, in the back of your head you’re, like, Okay maybe I can still win the point even though it wasn’t called.
“It’s going to be a downer if I stop the point and it turns out it wasn’t a double bounce. Yeah, it’s tough. I think we should be able to see it afterwards and make that call.”
Emma Navarro confused by no let machines at Australian Open
Navarro continued her analysis of the incident by largely refusing to lay the blame on one individual, instead reaffirming her calls for the rule to be changed.
“Yeah, it’s in the moment,” she noted. “Like I said, it happened so fast. I don’t know if she knew or not. Yeah, ultimately, it’s up to the ref to make the call. It is what it is, I guess. It’s tough to place blame on anybody. It’s a tough call.
“I think the rules should be different that I think we, for sure, should be able to look at it afterwards and decide.”
The double-bounce drama versus Swiatek even managed to reignite another issue that some players have been having in Melbourne, with the lack of a let machine once again coming to the fore.
ATP number two Alexander Zverev can’t believe there is no let machine at the Australian Open, with WTA star Jessica Pegula having shared a similar opinion.
Players instead have been relying on umpires making let calls on serves, with Navarro asked for her thoughts on the situation post-match.
“Yeah, I don’t know why that decision was made,” she said. “I don’t see a reason to not use a let machine. So yeah, not really sure why that was the decision.”
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