Doubles finalist Nicole Melichar-Martinez upset with USA broadcasters at the Cincinnati Open
On Sunday, Ukraine's Lyudmyla Kichenok and Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko defeated Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez for the Cincinnati Open title in the women's doubles category. However, one of the losing finalists, Melichar-Martinez of America, expressed her displeasure when she found out that the designated broadcasters decided to skip the WTA 1000 final.
The Tennis Channel and Bally Sports RSN were the ones responsible for the telecast of the women's matches at the just concluded Western & Southern Open. 21st-ranked Melichar-Martinez took to social media to bring the issue to the attention of the WTA.
"What would it take to show all @WTA Doubles finals on TV?" Melichar-Martinez tweeted.
What would it take to show all @WTA Doubles finals on TV?
While none of the broadcasters or the WTA have responded to the 29-year-old's tweet, a few fans have come forward in her support and slammed the Tennis Channel. According to one fan, the broadcaster played a repeat telecast of a pickleball match instead of the WTA 1000 final.
"The fact that TC cut to a pickleball replay instead of showing your final last night says a lot," a fan wrote.
@nicole_melichar @WTA The fact that TC cut to a pickleball replay instead of showing your final last night says a lot😑
Another fan pointed out that the multiple rain delays might have been the reason behind the skipping of the match.
"I'm curious if the rain delay affected TV coverage @CincyTennis. Regardless, tennis channel and other networks need to work with the tournaments to get the scheduling right. Today the men's doubles final was during women's singles," another fan said.
Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez lose 2nd final in 7 days
Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko beat Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez 7-6(5), 6-3 in one hour and 24 minutes to lift the Cincinnati Open trophy.
At the start of the match, Melichar-Martinez and Australia's Perez looked in control, leading 4-2 after converting an early break point. However, Kichenok and Ostapenko shifted gears to win two games in a row and came level with their opponents at 4-4 to eventually force the first set into a tie-break. At 3-3 in the second set, Kichenok and Ostapenko once again raised their level and won the next three games on the trot to close out the match.
This was the second title clash loss for Melichar-Martinez and Perez in consecutive weeks. At the recently concluded National Bank Open in Montreal, the pair fell to America's Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-7(5), 10-5. After the match, Gauff reached the top spot in the WTA doubles rankings for the first time in her career.