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Serena accuses Spanish opponent of cheating
Serena Williams accused Spanish opponent Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of cheating after winning a bad-tempered French Open third round clash on Saturday.
Serena Williams accused Spanish opponent Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of cheating after winning a bad-tempered French Open third round clash on Saturday.
Williams's 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory was overshadowed by an incident in the first set when the 43rd-ranked Martinez Sanchez broke serve to lead 3-2 but only after the crucial point-winning shot appeared to rebound off her arm.
"The ball did touch her 100 per cent on her arm. The rules of tennis are when the ball hits your body, then it's out of play," said the American.
"You lose a point automatically. So the ball hit her body, and therefore, she should have lost the point instead of cheating."
"I hit that ball rather hard. She knew that ball hit her."
Martinez Sanchez insisted the ball did not hit her arm.
"I put the racquet up. The ball was in and it was a point for me. It didn't hit me or my body," said the 26-year-old who refused to be drawn into a slanging match with the American.
