"Disgusting of the organizers, should have licence taken off" - Fans infuriated by runner-up Donna Vekic not receiving a trophy at Bad Homburg Open

Diana Shnaider won the Bad Homburg Open on Saturday, June 29. She defeated Donna Vekic in the final to win her second title of the year. Shnaider received the special Elephant trophy but Vekic was not presented with a trophy. Fans were disappointed with the lack of appreciation for the runner-up.

As the Premium partner of the Bad Homburg Open, Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen presents the winner and the runner-up of the tournament with special Elephant pendants. Moreover, the winner of the tournament is awarded an Elephant trophy as well.

However, the runner-up is not presented with a trophy. After the presentations were completed during the 2024 Bad Homburg Open, the finalists were called upon to click pictures. Shnaider held her trophy while Vekic was empty-handed.

Fans spotted this and called out the organizers and the WTA for the lack of appreciation.

"That's so awkward like was it that hard to give the runner up a smaller elephant trophy?" one fan asked while posting a video of the incident.

"But seriously, only a cheap necklace for runner up? How awkward...," another fan wrote.

"WTA probably trying to save budget. What a shame!" a third fan wrote.

Here are some more fan reactions to Donna Vekic not receiving a trophy at the Bad Homburg Open.

"Disgusting of the organisers. They should have the licence taken off. Seriously, how disrespectful!" asserted one fan.

"The way my jaw dropped… do better," another fan wrote.

"Right like that is so weird," wrote yet another.

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Diana Shnaider won her second title of the year by defeating Donna Vekic in the Bad Homburg Open 2024 final

Diana Shnaider defeated Donna Vekic in the final in Bad Homburg.

In February, 20-year-old Diana Shnaider won her maiden tour-level singles title at the hard court in Hua Hin, Thailand. Participating in the WTA 500 tournament in Bad Homburg, Shnaider played extremely well to win her second title of the year.

The three-set final between Shnaider and Donna Vekic came down to efficiency on break points. The young Russian converted four of her six chances. Importantly, she saved 10 of the 13 chances Vekic had. Her efficiency helped her win 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. After her win, she said (via wtatennis.com):

"It was an amazing week for me ... I managed to play one of the best weeks of my life, so I hope I will just keep going like this," Shnaider said.

The soon-to-be World No. 30 will begin her Wimbledon campaign against 2021 runner-up Karolina Pliskova.