The 2023 Italian Open women’s singles tennis champion was crowned after midnight Rome time on Saturday night.
The final started at 11 PM between Elena Rybakina and Anhelina Kalinina, and it was a disaster from the get-go.
To begin with, there were so many rain delays on Saturday that no one would have been surprised if the women’s match was moved to Sunday.
Adding insult to injury literally was an injury to Kalinina that required her to retire in the second set.
Elena Rybakina wins her first Italian Open when Anhelina Kalinina retires with injury down 6-4 1-0
Anticlimactic finish to a final that started far too late but nothing anticlimactic about Rybakina's season.
Champion: Indian Wells/Rome. Finalist: Aussie Open/Miami
Up to No. 4 pic.twitter.com/AFacomqrhB
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) May 20, 2023
Then, the trophy presentation happened in front of a very small crowd who booed at times.
They most likely were booing the tournament organizers and sponsors for doing such a terrible job with the trophy presentation.
Fans saw the disastrous event and shared their reactions on social media.
What Fans Said
The worst trophy presentation ever was a common message fans shared.
This trophy ceremony is just all over the place #ItalianOpen
— carla valenzuela (@calai85) May 20, 2023
That was the worst trophy ceremony I’ve ever seen. An absolute mess all round. #ItalianOpen
— Catherine Mizrahi (@Cat_Mizrahi) May 20, 2023
Tournament scheduling and the trophy presentation were both definitely messed up.
For a prestigious tournament, the organisers for the Italian open have messed up the tournament with the scheduling and the trophy presentation for the women's final in where I find it hilarious.#IBI23
— Charles (@prince_chas_cca) May 20, 2023
Awkward Is One Word To Describe It
Such an awkward trophy presentation at the Italian Open @InteBNLdItalia Looks so disorganised.
The crowd here is just ewwwwww#IBI23— May | MegxHaz (@megxhaz) May 20, 2023
If fans caught the presentation in progress, they would have believed that Rybakina lost because she was introduced and spoke to the crowd first.
At least, she was trying to speak; her microphone was not working correctly.
This trophy presentation is a MESS
The crowd obviously do not like the Tournament Sponsor or that individual doing the trophy presentation?
Microphone doesn't work for Rybakina
Both players don't know why the crowd are booing and think it is them.
— Chris Goldsmith (@TheTennisTalker) May 20, 2023
Normally, the runner-up is the first to do all these things.
When Kalinina was introduced, they tried to give her the runner-up plate in the box it was carried out to the court in but then took it back so that she could speak to the crowd.
After she spoke, they gave her the plate for photos while Rybakina was off to the right, and the winner’s trophy was not in her hands.
Rybakina finally walked over to pick up the trophy, or fans may still be waiting for her to be presented with it.
The @WTA final presentation;
Starts after midnight.
Boos at the start of it.
Nobody really knew what was happening.
Rybakina did her speech before Kalinina and asked for the trophy.
Amazon feed cut off half way through Kalininas speech.Sums up the shambolic WTA rather well.
— Pavvy G (@pavyg) May 20, 2023
Conclusion
This awful presentation comes on the heels of the Mutua Madrid Open which two weeks ago did not allow the women’s doubles champions and runners-up to speak at their trophy presentations.
Madrid Open cut the speech session for the women’s doubles final between Coco Gauff/Jessica Pegula & Victoria Azarenka/Beatriz Haddad Maia
Very strange to say the least. I know the men’s doubles final had speeches. pic.twitter.com/wHMg2I0lYK
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 7, 2023
Jessica Pegula has criticised Madrid Open organisers after she and her fellow doubles finalists were not allowed to make presentation speeches. pic.twitter.com/I5uJnGLsih
— FirstSportz Tennis (@FS_Tennis1) May 9, 2023
The common thread in both of these cases is the Women’s Tennis Association which needs to do a better job taking care of its players and preventing these nonsensical actions from happening.
Worst trophy ceremony organization of all times that Anhelina Kalinina and Elena Rybakina had to endure.
Internazionali BNFAIL’d Italia stuff #IBI23. pic.twitter.com/dS4hPYSvkC
— Andrew Jerell Jones, Luke 1:37 (IG:twdbk3) (@sluggahjells) May 20, 2023
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