Zhang Shuai quits tennis match after opponent rubs out a ball mark with her foot in disputed call

The dispute related to a forehand from Chinese tennis player Zhang Shuai that appeared to be in but was called out. Zhang argued the decision but it stood and the match continued briefly before the disagreement about the line call began again. As Zhang repeated her protests, her Hungarian opponent Amarissa Toth walked over to the ball mark and rubbed it out with her foot.

Chinese tennis player Zhang Shuai quit a match after her opponent rubbed out a ball mark with her foot following a disputed line call at the Budapest Grand Prix.

The second-seeded Zhang retired from the match while trailing 6-5 in the first set against Hungarian opponent Amarissa Toth at the clay-court tournament on Tuesday.

The dispute related to a forehand from Zhang that appeared to be in but was called out. Zhang argued the decision but it stood and the match continued briefly before the disagreement about the line call began again.

As Zhang repeated her protests, Toth walked over to the ball mark and rubbed it out with her foot.

“Wait, wait, wait! Keep the mark,” Zhang shouted in response. “What are you doing? Why would you do that?”

Zhang sat crying and shaking her head on her chair for a few moments at the side of the court before quitting.

She shook hands with the main umpire and Toth before appearing to point her fingers at the crowd, which had booed and jeered her for disputing the call.