"WTA should be ashamed! No respect for girls" - Tennis fans furious as Italian Open botches Elena Rybakina & Anhelina Kalinina's trophy ceremony

Tennis fans were outraged by the Italian Open organizers' mishandling of Elena Rybakina and Anhelina Kalinina's trophy presentation on Saturday, May 20.Rybakina secured her second WTA 1000 title of the year after Kalinina was forced to retire due to a left thigh injury. The final was marred by a series of unsavory incidents, even before play began.Originally slated for Saturday, May 20 at 7:00 pm local time, the match was delayed due to multiple rain interruptions throughout the day. It did not commence until well past 11:00 pm.The Italian Open finalists then found themselves embroiled in crowd drama during the trophy presentation, as the event organizers were repeatedly booed. This was supposedly due to the inconvenient scheduling of the match.Tennis fans worldwide took to social media to express their disappointment with the trophy presentation ceremony. They also heavily criticized Italian fans in the stadium for their disrespectful behavior towards Elena Rybakina and Anhelina Kalinina.One fan wrote that the the people in the stadium should be ashamed of themselves for their lack of respect towards the players.&quot;You should be ashamed! this ceremony is one big embarrassment. No respect for girls,&quot; a fan said.Julia@Julencjaaaaa@WTA you should be ashamed! this ceremony is one big embarrassment. No respect for girls🤬381@WTA you should be ashamed! this ceremony is one big embarrassment. No respect for girls🤬Another fan expressed their disappointment with the organisers for the trophy presentation ceremony, calling it &quot;scandalous&quot;.&quot;This is joke not a final WTA1000. Shame on you. The trophy ceremony was scandalous and such amateur. You even didn’t knew who is Kalinina and who Rybakina, you switched trophies, you got the order wrong. Winning trophy to Rybakina gave some hostess, instead tournament director,&quot; the fan tweeted.LCCKLC@u50409@WTA @InteBNLdItalia This is joke not a final WTA1000. Shame on you. The trophy ceremony was scandalous and such amateur. You even didn’t knew who is Kalinina and who Rybakina, you switched trophies, you got the order wrong. Winning trophy to Rybakina gave some hostess, instead tournament director 🤦&zwj;♂️8@WTA @InteBNLdItalia This is joke not a final WTA1000. Shame on you. The trophy ceremony was scandalous and such amateur. You even didn’t knew who is Kalinina and who Rybakina, you switched trophies, you got the order wrong. Winning trophy to Rybakina gave some hostess, instead tournament director 🤦&zwj;♂️Here are a few more reactions from fans:pieeniu@pieeniu@WTA What a disaster! Who organizes that important match so late at night when the temperature drops and is so easy to get injured. WTA shame on you!30@WTA What a disaster! Who organizes that important match so late at night when the temperature drops and is so easy to get injured. WTA shame on you!Tennis Twit@TennisTweetts1@WTA This ceremony is chaos, what is going on and why are the crowd booing?27@WTA This ceremony is chaos, what is going on and why are the crowd booing?monika@monika93358407@WTA The WTA Trophy ceremony was just disaster… totally disrespectful for both players… 🫣🤔5@WTA The WTA Trophy ceremony was just disaster… totally disrespectful for both players… 😵🫣🤔😡alfredo@MonicaS63776554@WTA One of the worst tournaments I’ve ever seen in my short 2 years of watching womens tennis the Italians are a disgrace151@WTA One of the worst tournaments I’ve ever seen in my short 2 years of watching womens tennis the Italians are a disgraceKarolina@karolina_drozdz@WTA WTA should rename to WTF18@WTA WTA should rename to WTFAndrew Jerell Jones, Luke 1:37 (IG:twdbk3)@sluggahjellsWorst trophy ceremony organization of all times that Anhelina Kalinina and Elena Rybakina had to endure. Internazionali BNFAIL’d Italia stuff #IBI23.123Worst trophy ceremony organization of all times that Anhelina Kalinina and Elena Rybakina had to endure. Internazionali BNFAIL’d Italia stuff #IBI23. https://t.co/dS4hPYSvkCSteeeephen.@StephenR77@vanshv2k The whole ceremony was a shambles, they didn’t even present Rybakina the trophy lol16@vanshv2k The whole ceremony was a shambles, they didn’t even present Rybakina the trophy lolVansh@vanshv2kFeel so sorry for Kalinina right now. Sucks to retire in a final of a big tournament like that. Wish her the best. Also why was Kalinina not given the mic before Rybakina. I thought that was standard to have the runner-up speak first?2071Feel so sorry for Kalinina right now. Sucks to retire in a final of a big tournament like that. Wish her the best. Also why was Kalinina not given the mic before Rybakina. I thought that was standard to have the runner-up speak first?Tennis Twit@TennisTweetts1@vanshv2k Worst ceremony I’ve ever seen (where players were allowed to speak). I assumed she was having treatment which is why she hadn’t spoken! They didn’t give them the trophies properly, - did they not practice? crowd booing. Absolutely Rome sweet Rome 8@vanshv2k Worst ceremony I’ve ever seen (where players were allowed to speak). I assumed she was having treatment which is why she hadn’t spoken! They didn’t give them the trophies properly, - did they not practice? crowd booing. Absolutely Rome sweet Rome 😂Xavier Livermon@XmanPhD@vanshv2k This was an extremely disorganized trophy ceremony. I have no idea what’s going on here but they should be embarrassed.341@vanshv2k This was an extremely disorganized trophy ceremony. I have no idea what’s going on here but they should be embarrassed.&quot;I'm proud that I can maintain this level&quot; - Elena RybakinaElena Rybakina with the 2023 Internazionali BNL D'Italia trophyFollowing the match, Elena Rybakina expressed satisfaction with her level amid the demanding schedule and extensive travel.&quot;I'm proud that I can maintain this level,&quot; Rybakina said. &quot;It's not easy, with all the scheduling, traveling. I think we're doing a good job with the team. I can see improvements on the court, physically also. I think we're on a right way.&quot;The Kazakh also sympathized with the injured Anhelina Kalinina and expressed her hope for a speedy recovery.&quot;Not the way I want to finish this match,&quot; Elena Rybakina said. &quot;It's been great, I think, results for Anhelina. She played some tough battles. Really happy for her improvement. Hopefully she can continue like this. Pity she couldn't finish the match. I hope that it's nothing serious. So hopefully she can recover quick and she can continue like this.&quot;

No Results Found