Kim Clijsters outlines why she ‘loved’ Carlos Alcaraz’s chair umpire clash in Doha
· Yahoo Sports
Right now, Carlos Alcaraz is one of the most admired players in tennis, celebrated not just for his talent but also for the personality he brings to the sport.
He combines technical skill and physical ability with plenty of character, whether it is through his unpredictable style or his constant smile on court.
Visit chickenroadslot.pro for more information.
But that same image of constant positivity is why any rare signs of frustration stand out even more when they do happen.
In Qatar, after a disputed call from the chair umpire, Alcaraz showed as much anger as we have ever seen from him. But not everyone saw it as a negative.
Kim Clijsters saw a different side to it and appreciated what she saw.
Kim Clijsters enjoyed seeing Carlos Alcaraz challenge the chair umpire
Photo by Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty ImagesSpeaking on her Love All podcast, the four-time Grand Slam champion shared why she appreciated seeing Alcaraz, who is typically laid-back, finally lose his cool during a match.
Clijsters said: “I loved that Alcaraz actually is saying that stuff, because I think, for him to do it, it must be really frustrating, or something must be triggering, and it comes from a place where he’s actually very annoyed by it.
“So I enjoyed that he spoke up and that maybe behind the scenes, you know, where he mentioned the ATP rules and, you know, maybe they’ll change a little bit about the shot clock because I agree.
“Like, I think we saw something at the Australian Open with Novak in the semifinals, in the fifth set, where he got a time violation that after a super long rally and you know there’s times like that where I feel like as a chair umpire, just read the room a little bit as well because for me, as a tennis fan, when I’m watching this, you have to be able to give these players just their moment to just recover and a little bit whether it’s one or two seconds more is really not going to make a big deal.”
This was not an isolated incident either. The Spaniard has previously spoken out about other issues within tennis including complaints about how packed and demanding his schedule can be.
What sparked Carlos Alcaraz’s frustration?
It was unusual to see Alcaraz so visibly upset, as he challenged the judgment of chair umpire Marija Cicak during his match against Karen Khachanov.
The incident occurred with the first set level at 4-4. After winning a long rally, the Spaniard took a moment to towel off before getting ready to serve again.
But Cicak gave him a time violation, saying she had no choice under the current rules.
Alcaraz argued that some flexibility should be allowed after such a gruelling point, and his frustration spilled over into the changeover.
Even after coming out on top in the match, the Spaniard continued to speak out against what he saw as an unfair rule.
Read more: