Share

'Discrimination' victim Tatishvili wins prize money appeal

Paris - Anna Tatishvili, who was stripped of her entire €46 000 prize money at Roland Garros for "not playing at a professional standard", has had her punishment overturned, the player announced on Twitter on Friday.

"The Grand Slam Board has reversed the sanction imposed on me at the 2019 French Open, acknowledging I played 'professionally from the first to the very last point' and returning to me all of the prize money that I earned," tweeted 29-year-old Georgia-born Tatishvili.

"I'm grateful to all who stood with me, including my legal team at @Kirkland_Ellis. So happy the question of my performance is settled and I can move on with my tennis career. Excited to be back in competition!"

Tatishvili returned to competition at the French Open last month following a 31-month absence caused by a serious ankle injury and multiple surgeries.

Appearing in Paris with a protected ranking, she lost her first-round match to Greece's 33rd-ranked Maria Sakkari, 6-0, 6-1 in just 55 minutes.

Officials then stripped her of her prize money, claiming Tatishvili failed to play at a "professional standard".

Tatishvili appealed against "the unfair and discriminatory sanction", pointing out that a male player who competed in qualifying at the French Open, also under a protected ranking, lost in 43 minutes but was not sanctioned.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
67% - 892 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
33% - 435 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE