Cibulkova accused of unsporting behaviour

DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA found herself at the centre of more controversy as she reached Wimbledon’s quarter-finals. The Slovak, who was bumped from SW19’s seedings due to Serena Williams’s inclusion, beat Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Court 18 but one incident overshadowed her 6-4, 6-1 victory. Hsieh was serving at 4-5, 0-30 in the opening set when Cibulkova’s return was called long. Cibulkova challenged and was correct, meaning that the point should have been replayed because Hsieh had hit the ball back into court. However, Chinese umpire Juan Zhang wrongly awarded it to Cibulkova, handing her the chance to break and seal the set. Hsieh caused a five-minute delay as she disputed the call while Cibulkova said nothing, despite the ball having rolled back by her feet. Eventually, Zhang ruled to replay the point, though Cibulkova then claimed: ‘It is my point, my point, she hit the ball in the net. She said 40-love, she cannot take it back. It’s 40-love.’ Cibulkova eventually accepted the call but some spectators labelled her behaviour unsporting. Afterwards she said: ‘Is it my fault you don’t remember if she hit the net or if she put it on my side? After she (Hsieh) was complaining, they were talking in Chinese, whatever language, I don’t know. It was all wrong.’ Cibulkova, who Johanna Konta accused of intentionally slapping her thighs while she tried to serve last week, next faces Latvian Jelena Ostapenko. No 12 seed Ostapenko beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 7-6, 6-0. No 7 seed Karolina Pliskova lost to Kiki Bertens 6-3, 7-6.