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Qinwen Zheng Reacts Angrily at Ball Kid in Charleston Open

Qinwen Zheng threw a ball in the direction of a ball kid at the Charleston Open.
Pat Benson|
Qinwen Zheng defeated Elise Mertens in three sets at the Charleston Open.
Qinwen Zheng defeated Elise Mertens in three sets at the Charleston Open. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

On Thursday, Qinwen Zheng outlasted Elise Mertens in a lengthy battle in the Round of 16 at the Charleston Open. Zheng defeated Mertens in three sets: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

After the match, Zheng gave the endearing quote, "I think it's all of the crowd here because I see everyone here loves tennis and love this atmosphere. And I believe I won this match today because of all of the crowd. If there was no support today, I think I'm dead."

However, Zheng also showed her temper during the third set. The social media account @tennis_gifs shared a video of Zheng throwing a tennis ball back in the direction of a ball kid. The video is below, so you can be the judge.

It looks like Zheng was not expecting another ball from the ball kid and angrily threw the ball back in the direction in which it came. The ball bounced off the wall and rolled back onto the court.

We did not catch the moment during the broadcast, and it was not included in the WTA's edited highlights of the match on YouTube.

Assuming this was not a late April Fool's Day prank or the work or AI, this is a bad look for Zheng. It is comparable (maybe worse) than Iga Swiatek's scene at Indian Wells.

It is the latest example of Zheng's questionable sportsmanship. Her frosty post-match handshakes are well-documented, and so is her treatment of officials. Last October, Zheng yelled in the face of an innocent line judge at the Wuhan Open.

Zheng faces Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarterfinal of the Charleston Open later today. Zheng is currently the WTA World No. 8 with a record of 9-5.

Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

More Tennis News

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Maria Sakkari fires back at reporter after her loss to Qinwen Zheng.

Emma Raducanu's return date remains uncertain after she pulled out of the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers.

Iga Swiatek explained why she will not play in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tournament.

Iga Swiatek said she wants less feedback from her coach during matches.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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