BBC SPORT | Tennis | Hantuchova timed out

Daniela Hantuchova made a bizarre exit from the Acura Classic in San Diego on Wednesday when she received a time violation on match point against Ai Sugiyama.

The Slovakian felt she had the second round match "taken away" from her, as umpire Denis Overberg stuck rigidly by WTA rules to give Japan's number one a 6-4 1-6 7-5 victory.

It was definitely unfair to finish such a great match like this

Daniela Hantuchova

Hantuchova, the seventh seed, received a warning for a time violation in the second game of the third set before being given a point penalty in the 11th game.

A desperately close contest had been in progress for two-hours and 13 minutes when Hantuchova served at 5-6 and match point down in the final set.

But WTA rules state that a player must start the next point 20 seconds after the previous point has been completed, and Overberg gave the Slovak another point penalty to hand Sugiyama victory.

"I was playing the same way I always do," said Hantuchova. "I never had time violations before.

Umpire Dennis Overberg
Umpire Overberg was the centre of attention
"I was not stalling for time deliberately, I was just thinking about what to do on the court.

"I've never heard of this. I felt that I could have won, but somebody came and took the match away from me.

"It was a great match and to have it end like that is really disappointing. But there is nothing that I can do now.

"It was definitely unfair to finish such a great match like this."

Sugiyama admitted she had not been expecting to win in such an unusual manner.

"I was very surprised the way the match ended," she said.

"It's true she was taking a long time in between points. I didn't want to win that way. It's the umpire's decision.

"It's tough to lose a match like that, but she was taking a little bit more time than normal."


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