British tennis player Jodie Burrage encountered an unexpected issue with the net during her match against Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova at the Eastbourne Open, leaving her puzzled.
The 26-year-old Brit managed to win a challenging second set 6-4 against the top seed.
Burrage is preparing for her upcoming appearance at Wimbledon and will likely hope that the nets at the All England Club are in better condition.
Krejcikova had already secured the first set 6-4 and was serving while trailing in the second set against the British No. 7.
At 15-15 in the game, Burrage hit a solid return to Krejcikova`s forehand side.
Krejcikova`s subsequent shot went directly into the net. Burrage started celebrating what seemed like a winning point, but the ball unexpectedly went through a small hole in the net and landed on her side.
BBC commentator Annabel Croft was astonished, exclaiming, “Oh, no way. I`m not quite sure how that went over? It`s meant to be a British net! That is extraordinary.”
A bewildered Burrage questioned the umpire, who initially insisted the ball had gone over the net. However, Burrage pointed out the visible hole in the middle of the net.
In a display of good sportsmanship, Krejcikova conceded the point to Burrage after this strange occurrence. The umpire then descended from his chair to inspect and eventually fix the damage.
Burrage capitalized on this unexpected turn of events, securing the break and winning the second set 6-4.
Despite this setback, Krejcikova regrouped and won the deciding set in a tie-break.
Earlier in the tournament, Burrage defeated Moyuka Uchijima of Japan in the first round, navigating challenging windy conditions. This marked her first WTA Tour victory on grass this season, following earlier losses.
Separately, British No. 1 Emma Raducanu also competed in Eastbourne amidst the windy weather. Raducanu defeated Ann Li with a score of 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, clinching the victory on her fourth match point.
The former US Open champion became emotional after the win, looking towards her coach Mark Petchey.
An emotional Raducanu expressed gratitude in her on-court interview, stating, “It was incredible, I just want to thank the crowd for getting me through some really sticky moments.” She added that the support meant a lot and she was proud of fighting back after losing the first set.
The 22-year-old is scheduled to play Maya Joint in the second round.
