Victoria Azarenka was very angry after a questionable call from the electronic line calling in her second-round match at the 2025 Indian Wells Open.
Azarenka wasn’t among the seeded players at the WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells, which meant that she had to start already in the first round. The Belarusian bested qualifier Clervie Ngounoue, advancing to the second round.
Her second-round opponent was the eighth-seeded Qinwen Zheng, who had a first-round bye. It was the third meeting for the two, with Azarenka winning both of the previous matches.
That’s why the former WTA World No. 1 likely felt confident also ahead of this match, but things weren’t going as planned for her. She was the first broken player in the first set, and despite breaking back, she lost her serve one more time to lose the opening set 3-6.
The start of the second set featured the first controversy of the match. Zheng broke her opponent’s serve and led 2-1. The Chinese player then had to fight for her serve, with the scoreboard showing 40-40.
After Zheng tossed the ball above her head to start the next rally, someone yelled out, which distracted the eighth seed. She then lost the next two points and was broken by her opponent.
A few games later, the score was tied at 4-4 and 30-30 with Azarenka serving. The Belarusian player played aggressively and got to a volley at the net.
However, she couldn’t convert it into a winner. The 35-year-old player, who was one of the players championing the WTA’s new maternity fund, played the volley into her opponent’s backhand.
Zheng barely reached the ball and she played it over her opponent. The ball then fell close to the baseline as Azarenka attempted to chase it down.
After it fell on the ground, the Belarusian player decided not to even play the ball, as she was sure that it landed out. But according to the electronic line calling, it didn’t.
Azarenka was furious. She immediately approached the umpire of the match, Marija Cicak, complaining about the call. The umpire told her she couldn’t do anything about the call.
“This is bulls**t. What is video review for? It’s a clear mark. I know you can’t do it, it’s just a sh**ty f***ing system.”
Cicak then also warned Azarenka that she would receive a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct. The two-time Australian Open champion was aware of that, and it made her even more furious.
Although Azarenka saved the break point created by this questionable moment, she still lost her serve. After that, she also lost the match 3-6, 4-6.
