Novak Djokovic’s water bottle injury at the Italian Open ignited a debate on the tournament’s security standards. In other news, Venus Williams being mistaken for younger sister Serena sparked controversy online.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Korda blasted disrespectful Italian Open fans who heckled him and his girlfriend during his second-round victory against Flavio Cobolli in Rome. Chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani was called out for a controversial line call during Dan Evans and Fabio Fognini’s first-round match at the Italian Open.

Also, Stefanos Tsitsipas smashed his racket in frustration during his second-round match against Jan-Lennard Struff in the Italian Open.

On that note, here’s a recap of top tennis controversies from last week:

Novak Djokovic’s water bottle incident triggered heated discussions on the Italian Open’s safety measure

Novak Djokovic was struck on the head by a water bottle that fell from a fan’s backpack during a post-match autograph session following the Serb’s 6-3, 6-1 victory over Corentin Moutet in the Italian Open second round. The force of the impact caused Djokovic to collapse in pain, prompting swift assistance from security personnel.

The tournament management then released an official statement suggesting that the incident was accidental, however, Djokovic supporters believed that the harm was done intentionally which led to their criticism on social media.

This unfortunate incident sparked outrage among another set of Djokovic fans who took to social media to slam the tournament’s security standards.

Here are a couple of reactions from fans:

Top seed Novak Djokovic’s campaign ended in the third round against 29th seed Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-3.

Controversy erupted over Venus Williams being mistaken for younger sister Serena Williams

Social media went into overdrive after a user on X (formerly Twitter) mistakenly identified Venus Williams as her younger sister Serena at the Met Gala. The user shared their favorite looks from the event, including Venus’ standout outfit.

The user seemingly dismissed Venus by calling her “the other one” instead of simply correcting the mistake. Fans came to Venus’ defense and criticized the individual’s lack of recognition and respect for the tennis legend.

Sebastian Korda called out Italian Open fans for booing him during Italian Open 2R

Sebastian Korda faced a hostile crowd during his 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-4 win against Flavio Cobolli in the second round at the Italian Open. The Italian fans booed Korda and made rude comments about his team and girlfriend throughout the match.

In a defiant gesture, the American blew a kiss to the unruly fans following his victory. The ATP tour shared a video of this moment on X (formerly Twitter), which Korda himself reposted.

“Shoutout to the fans behind me for talking inappropriately about my girlfriend, family and team for 2.5hrs. Thank you for the extra motivation… Still love yall,” Korda wrote.

Sebastian Korda’s Italian Open campaign ended 6-3, 6-4 in the third round against compatriot Taylor Fritz.

Chair umpire received backlash for controversial line call during Dan Evans vs. Fabio Fognini’s Italian Open 1R

A controversial call by Chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani sparked frustration for Dan Evans during his first-round match against Fabio Fognini at the Italian Open. In the deciding set, Evans created a scoring opportunity with a deep return, forcing Fognini into a mishit volley that landed out.

Despite Evans’ appeals, Lahyani surprisingly awarded the point to Fognini. Video review later confirmed the mistake, leaving the Brit fuming and his arguments with the umpire ultimately fruitless.

This incident sparked outrage among fans who took to social media to criticize Lahyani for his poor umpiring decision.

Stefanos Tsitsipas smashed his racket during Italian Open 2R

Stefanos Tsitsipas had a tough start at the 2024 Italian Open, facing Jan-Lennard Struff. The German’s strong play led to Tsitsipas losing his first service game, despite initially being in the lead. This frustrated Tsitsipas, who responded by smashing his racket and the nearby towel holder.

However, Tsitsipas came around to win the match 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the third round where he will face 27th seed Cameron Norrie.

Venus Williams and Father Richard recall one match that 7-time Grand Slam champion “should have won”