A comment on Instagram, made by American Taylor Fritz shortly after defeating João Fonseca, was the trigger for a controversy with fans of the Brazilian tennis player on the social network on Thursday (26).
Fritz, current number 5 of the world ranking, defeated Fonseca, 57th in the world (6/3, 6/7, 7/5), in the round of 16 of the Eastbourne tournament in the UK. Balanced, the match began on Wednesday (25) and only ended the next day, due to lack of natural light to complete it.
The controversy began when the Tennistv account, from a tennis channel, posted on Instagram a summary with the most spectacular moves of the match.
“Commenting before watching the points … I bet it’s 80% of Fonseca’s highlights, perhaps one or two of mine earning [o jogo]”Posted Fritz, according to screen reproductions captured by netizens.” Update I was right, “the American himself commented a minute later.
The best moments had seven throws, four won by Fonseca and three by Fritz, including the last point, a ball outside the Brazilian.
Fritz apparently deleted the publications minutes later, but too late to prevent a shower of comments against and favor. Some pointed out that in fact the most beautiful moves were from Fonseca, while the style of the less showy American, relying a lot in the aces, the reckless ones (there were 17, against 7 of the Brazilian). Fritz advocates implied that the engagement that 18 -year -old carioca generates on social networks causes a bias in favor of his plays.
Fonseca did not publications on the networks after the match.
Hours later, Fritz entered the court again, to play fourth against his compatriot Marcos Giron – it is not uncommon for tennis players to compete for more than one match on the same day, when bad weather causes postponements, as was the case this week in Eastbourne.
The American won again and humorously treated the controversy of hours before. “Guys, I got a highlight,” he wrote in the same Tennistv account, who elected his ball against Giron as “Play of the Week.”
Both Fritz and Fonseca are competing for the European grass tournament season. It culminates in the Grand Slam of Wimbledon, which starts next Monday (30).
