[Sportschosun Reporter Jang Jong-ho] A 15-year-old German tennis prospect was disqualified after throwing her racket during a Wimbledon junior girls' singles match.
According to foreign media reports, Germany's Ida Bobkova, 15, faced Romania's Valentina Pop in the first round of the Wimbledon Championships junior girls' singles on the 5th local time.
Bobkova lost the first set 0-6, but kept the match alive by drawing level at 5-5 in the second set. However, after a backhand shot went wide, she lost control of her emotions and slammed her racket hard onto the court.
The racket bounced off the ground and flew toward the stands. It was not confirmed whether it actually hit a spectator, but officials immediately stopped the match, citing the dangerous situation.
Bobkova quickly ran to the stands to apologize, but the ruling did not change. Tournament officials determined that her conduct violated the rules, and she was ultimately disqualified. Pop advanced automatically to the second round.
After the match, Bobkova admitted her mistake in a post on social media, saying, "I will reflect on this incident and make sure it does not happen again."
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) rules prohibit players from venting anger at tournament venues by kicking, throwing, or violently damaging rackets or equipment. They also classify deliberate strikes against facilities such as the net, court, or umpire's chair out of anger or frustration as equipment abuse, making them subject to sanctions. Bobkova is currently ranked No. 24 in the ITF Junior World Ranking and is considered one of Germany's promising young tennis players.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
