Tatiana Prozorova Forced to Withdraw from WTA Singapore Semi-Final
Tatiana Prozorova was forced to withdraw from her first WTA singles semi-final in Singapore following a controversial medical concussion protocol after being struck by a ball.
A major controversy has erupted at the Singapore tournament after tennis player Tatiana Prozorova, ranked 180th in the world, claimed she was forced to withdraw from her career-first WTA singles semi-final due to a medical decision made by a tour physiotherapist following an on-court incident during a doubles match.
The Incident and Concussion Protocol
The event took place during a doubles match featuring Prozorova and Sofia Sewing against Ellen Perez and Miyu Kato. Kato hit an overhead smash that struck Prozorova, who fell to the court holding her face. Following a brief stoppage, she left the court for medical evaluation and did not return to the match. It was subsequently determined that she would be unable to compete in her singles semi-final against Talia Gibson due to a suspected concussion.
However, Prozorova presented a vastly different account of the injury severity. In an Instagram story, she wrote that the ball "only grazed my cheek and hit my shoulder," claiming the physiotherapist insisted on removing her from the court for a series of tests without informing her that she had the right to refuse the examination.
"The test wasn't easy," Prozorova wrote. "After spending more than three hours on the court in each of the past three days, I was tired and struggled with some of the exercises, like standing on one foot with my eyes closed. To be honest, even when I am fresh and well-rested, I find that difficult."
Pressure from Officials and Discontent
Prozorova alleged that significant pressure was subsequently applied to both her and the tournament organizers by the medical staff. She stated that the physiotherapist implied she was incapable of making her own decisions and mandated at least six days of mandatory rest from tennis, which she described as absurd given how well she felt.
Key details of the controversy include:
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The disputed medical intervention following a doubles match overhead strike.
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Prozorova's career-best run in Singapore, including a milestone win over top-20 player Alex Eala.
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Potential disruption to her upcoming schedule, including the Beijing tournament starting on Monday.
Prozorova openly criticized the governing body, calling on the WTA to reconsider its rules and arguing that the current system renders players completely helpless when dealing with mandatory medical withdrawals.
