"Why should they? Embarrassing" - Fans react to suggestion that Aryna Sabalenka & Barbora Krejcikova switch Australian Open courts after QF delay
There was reportedly a suggestion that Aryna Sabalenka and Barbora Krejcikova move their quarter-final match at the 2024 Australian Open from the Rod Laver Arena to the Margaret Court Arena. Although that never materialized, several tennis fans criticized the very idea of it.
Sabalenka vs. Krejcikova was the third match scheduled at the Rod Laver Arena on Day 10 of the 2024 Australian Open. As per the official schedule, the match was set to begin at 7 PM. However, it was delayed until 9 PM as the previous matches - Coco Gauff vs. Marta Kostyuk and Novak Djokovic vs. Taylor Fritz, exceeded the expected timeline.
Considering these delays, Australian Open officials reportedly tried to move Sabalenka's match against Krejcikova to the Margaret Court Arena. However, the match was eventually played at the original Rod Laver Arena itself.
Several tennis fans online slammed the organizers' alleged plan, claiming it was disrespectful to two Grand Slam winners - one of whom is the defending Australian Open champion. Others opined that instead of Sabalenka vs Krejcikova, officials should have tried to move the fourth match of the day, Andrey Rublev vs. Jannik Sinner, to the other stadium.
Some fans also pointed out that the whole situation could have been avoided if the first match at the Rod Laver Arena had started at 11 AM instead of 1 PM.
One fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
"Why should they? It's embarrassing that this was proposed to the ladies who play the first match in the evening session."
"And good for them! why should the women move," another fan said.
"As they should! Two Grand Slam champions should not be playing their matches on smaller courts!" commented another fan.
"If they want to switch something, it should always be the last match in cases like this," a fan wrote on X.
"What a farce. It shouldn’t have been scheduled for so many matches in the first place," another fan wrote.
Here are some more fan reactions to Aryna Sabalenka and Barbora Krejcikova's match remaining on Rod Laver Arena:
Aryna Sabalenka is yet to drop a set at Australian Open 2024
Aryna Sabalenka's title defense at the 2024 Australian Open has started without a hitch; the Belarusian has won all her matches in straight sets so far. In the first four rounds, the No. 2 seed has defeated Ella Seidel 6-0, 6-1, Brenda Fruhvirtova 6-3, 6-2, Lesia Tsurenko 6-0, 6-0 and Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-2.
Sabalenka continued her red-hot form against Krejcikova as well, ousting the Czech 6-2, 6-3. The 25-year-old will now face Coco Gauff, the only other top-10 seed left in the women's singles draw, in the semi-finals. This will be a rematch of the 2023 US Open final, where Gauff beat Sabalenka to lift her maiden Grand Slam title.
Last year, Sabalenka beat Elena Rybakina in the final of the Australian Open to win her first Grand Slam title.