Maria Vittoria Viviani, the junior Italian tennis player who was controversially disqualified from the Australian Open on Sunday, says she did nothing wrong.
Viviana said she was inconsolable after she was dismissed from the competition after she hit a ball at a ball kid. She was also banned from competing in the doubles.
The 17-year-old admitted to Fairfax Media that she cried herself to sleep after her grand slam dream abruptly ended on Sunday.
Although the umpire didn’t witness the incident, Viviana slapped a tennis ball in frustration and it made contact with the ball kid’s chest.
Viviana said she raised her hand in an apology immediately after the incident but the umpire was not in a forgiving mood.
“I’m still shocked,” she told Fairfax Media. “Yesterday was a very, very bad day for me because no one can feel good about this situation.
“I was crying after for one hour and a half non-stop. I was crying so much. I know, and all the people who know me, they know I did nothing wrong.”
“I was enjoying the game,” Viviani said. “The kid was moving and I hit him. I said sorry immediately because I saw him but he was OK. He was standing with the balls in his hands waiting for the match to start again.”
Viviana's mentor, former Italian pro Maria Elena Camerin, was also stunned at the decision.
“I’ve never seen something like this. I was on court and I said, ‘C’mon, we are here from Italy and now she can’t play for this kind of stupid thing’?” Camerin told Fairfax.
“It is not cheap for her to come here all the way from Italy. We’ve been here from January 4. She was crying all day. It was very sad. She’s a very nice girl. I just said to her, ‘S*** happens’.”
Fans have also shown their support for Viviana on social media.
Mia Freedman talks to Leisel Jones on the No Filter podcast.
Viviani is currently the 117th ranked female junior in the world.
Top Comments
The disqualification seems very harsh to me. There was no real malice in the shot (that I could see), she was just getting rid of the ball.
She was hard done by. It was an accident. They happen. I might be wrong but it didn't even look like it was very hard.
I think when they act like spoiled kids and smash their rackets it is worse and sends bad image to kids watching.