Czechia’s Karolina Muchova is facing criticism from the tennis community for taking an extended pause during her quarterfinals win over Sorana Cirstea on Tuesday night at the U.S. Open.
Muchova, who is ranked No. 10 in the world, left the court after her first-set victory versus Cirstea, 6-0, as the temperature in Flushing Meadows inched closer to the low 90s.
A tense exchange then unfolded between Cirstea and the chair umpire, according to Yahoo Sports, with the Romanian athlete ready to continue playing.
“I am the one waiting for her to serve,” the 33-year-old Cirstea said.
“I don’t understand what you want from me.”
Former Australian tennis pro Jelena Dokic also weighed in on Muchova’s curious action, which apparently was an outfit change.
“She went for a change of shirt and usually you don’t do that when you’ve got the momentum,” Dokic commentated for Australia’s Channel 9.
“Not only the momentum but she won 6-0.”
Dokic, now 40, reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open during her playing career in 2000 and 2001 before retiring in 2014.
As for Muchova, who was knocked out of the first round of last year’s U.S. Open by Aryna Sabalenka, she’s gearing up for a semifinals showdown against American teen Coco Gauff on Thursday.
“I remember last year I was really struggling with injury,” Muchova said, according to Tennis.com. “I lost here first round and I couldn’t continue, so yeah, just really glad to be competing.”
The 27-year-old Muchova reached the finals of the French Open earlier this year and lost to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in three sets.
Muchova faced Gauff last month in the final of the Cincinnati Open, with the 19-year-old American taking down her opponent, 6-3, 6-4.