By Chris Oddo | Tuesday May 31, 2016
Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep didn't mince words after falling in poor playing conditions on Day 10 at Roland Garros.
Photo Source: Dennis Grombkowski/Getty
After falling to Tsevetana Pironkova in three sets in very soggy conditions on Tuesday in Paris, Agnieszka Radwanska aired out her frustration to reporters.
More: Pironkova Fights Back to Stun Radwanska and Reach Quarterfinals
“I'm just so surprised and angry, that, you know, we have to play in the rain,” Radwanska said. “I mean, it's not a $10,000 tournament. It's a Grand Slam. How can you allow players to play in the rain? I cannot play in those conditions.”
Radwanska dropped the first ten games of her resumed match against the World No.102. She lead 6-2, 3-0 to start and ended up falling, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Radwanska gave Pironkova full credit for the victory but still could not hide her anger at being pushed out to play a crucial Grand Slam in what she perceived to be unplayable conditions.
“The second set it was—we play pretty much in the rain,” she said. “I don't know who allows us to play in that kind of conditions. I mean, I don't think they really care what we think. I think they care about other things, I guess. So, well, I'm just pissed. I just cannot play in those conditions. I mean, I'm not healthy enough.”
Radwanska said that the chilly, wet weather made the balls too heavy to hit.
“I had hand surgery a few years ago, and for me, playing with those balls in that kind of court is pretty much impossible… We shouldn't play in that kind of rain. Why? We still have couple of days of tournament. What's the point?”
After falling in two sets to Sam Stosur on Court Suzanne Lenglen, No. 6 seed Simona Halep echoed the same sentiments. “I have no words,” she said. “It was impossible to play, in my opinion. And to play tennis matches during the rain I think it's a bit too much. But everyone was in the same situation, and who was stronger won today.”
She added: “No one cares about the players in my opinion. I don't care that I lost the match today, but I was close to get injured with my back, so that's—that's a big problem. But like I said, no one cares. We have just to go and play.”
When asked if she tried to stop the match at any point, Halep replied “No, because I knew I have no chance to change anything.”
Like Radwanska, Halep was quick to add that her opponent played well and deserved to win. “I mean, in my opinion she played really well and she deserved to win. Her ball was very heavy to return, and her serve especially,” she said. “She did a great match.”