French Tennis] Djokovic Founding Professional Players Association: “Disqualification is unfair…prize money and points should be restored” Dialogue with Miyu Kato already held

Last Updated on 06/07/2023 by てんしょく飯

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) posted a statement on SNS saying that the disqualification of Miyu Kato (28=Xymax) and Aldila Sutjiadi (28=Indonesia) in the women’s doubles third round at the French Open (Roland Garros, Paris) on June 4 was “unjust, disproportionate and unfair. The PTPA posted a statement on social networking sites.

The decision to disqualify Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi was unjust, disproportionate, and unfair.

In a statement titled “Response of the Professional Tennis Players’ Association to the disqualification of Miyu Kato from the French Open,” the association said, “We are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all individuals involved in the sport, especially ball girls and ball boys, is our top priority. However, the decision to disqualify Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi was unjust, disproportionate, and unfair,” he noted.

In the scene in question, Kato’s return ball to the ball girl hit the back of her head. She cried, which caused a stir, but “it is clear that this incident was accidental and in no way offensive in nature. It should not lead to a code violation (anti-sportsmanship in tennis) or disqualification,” he defended.

The referee initially issued a “warning,” but even after Kato’s apology, the ball girl’s tears did not stop. Furthermore, when her opponents, the pair of Marie Bouzkova (Czech Republic) and Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spain), protested, the referee and organizers reversed the decision and handed down a “disqualification” for dangerous behavior.

Kato left the court in tears, and according to her social networking site, she forfeited her prize money and was stripped of her points.

Standing by the side of the players whose rights were violated, he stressed that “at the very least, we need to restore Miyu and Aldila’s prize money and ranking points.

Finally, he declared, “We express our unwavering solidarity with all players who have been treated unfairly. To address and improve this situation, we have begun an active dialogue with both the French Tennis Federation and the Grand Slam (four major tournaments) Committee. We have already made direct contact with Miyu Kato herself,” he concluded, “and our goal is to encourage open discussion and create a fair and equitable environment for all players.

On June 5, Kato also announced that she had appealed the disqualification and filed a complaint against the tournament on this matter.