An embarrassing incident occurred at the Australian Open when a player mistakenly celebrated victory early due to misunderstanding the rules; Wang Xinyu's doubles win over a Chinese pair followed by withdrawal sparked criticism.

As the week’s competitions progressed, fans and netizens reviewing the events remarked that one ridiculous incident after another unfolded!

If selecting this month’s tennis comedian, many fans and netizens unanimously believe it has to be Austrian Ofner!

In the second round of Australian Open qualifying, Ofner took on American Basavareddy, and both fought fiercely with cunning and intensity from the very beginning to secure a place in the final qualifying round.

After the Austrian took the first set 6-3, the American quickly responded by winning the second set 6-4, leveling the match once again.

Seeing the first two sets played with such fiery intensity made the match outcome highly uncertain, leaving everyone wondering who would ultimately prevail. Therefore, the deciding set tiebreak became the crucial battle determining their fate.

It was this very familiar tiebreak battle that unexpectedly turned Ofner into the tennis world’s comedic figure.

When Ofner surged ahead to a 7-1 lead in the tiebreak, almost everyone thought the match was effectively decided and the Austrian would claim victory. Fans were also curious to see how the American would respond from such a desperate position and whether he could stage a dramatic comeback.

Surprisingly, just as everyone was eager to see how the duel would continue, Ofner suddenly clenched his fist in celebration and approached the net to shake Basavareddy’s hand. This moment left everyone stunned, unsure what performance the Austrian was putting on.

Later it was revealed that Ofner had confused the match rules, mistaking the tiebreak as first to seven points instead of ten, believing he had already secured the win until the referee clarified the situation and he realized his mistake.

Back in the match, Ofner inexplicably lost his earlier confidence and dominance. Despite the large lead, he failed to close out the match quickly and instead collapsed, allowing Basavareddy to catch up, take the lead, and eventually win the tiebreak 13-11 in a stunning reversal.

From near defeat to an unexpected victory, Basavareddy struggled to process his joy immediately, unable to fully describe his feelings after winning. Post-match, he made a playful “choke” gesture to celebrate, indirectly telling everyone how suffocated he felt being so far behind and how unbelievable it was to turn the match around.

After the match, many sympathized with Ofner, advising him to remember the rules carefully in the future to avoid such frustrating mistakes. Without this blunder affecting his mindset, Basavareddy’s chances of losing would have been over 90%.

Others harshly criticized Ofner, saying that while it’s understandable for players to get confused under pressure, it’s hard to accept his poor mental resilience. Such a minor incident completely broke him down, making him unfit for high-level competition.

This incident involving Ofner’s rule confusion sparked huge controversy, with a similar situation recently involving Chinese player Wang Xinyu.

Logically, Wang Xinyu had just earned China’s first singles runner-up of the new season in Auckland and then, partnering with Zheng Saisai in Hobart, defeated Yang Zhaoxuan and Xu Yifan in doubles, making her a fan favorite. So why did she become embroiled in controversy? The issue arose when, after winning the Chinese doubles derby, she suddenly withdrew from the tournament.

Many discussing this expressed confusion, saying that when Wang mentioned fatigue after her first-round singles win, it was hard to understand why she was still playing doubles. They assumed she would manage the matches well and had strategies to cope with tiredness, so a withdrawal later seemed acceptable. However, withdrawing immediately after beating Yang and Xu left many speechless.

Some bluntly said that if Wang did not want to play doubles, she should have withdrawn before the tournament began. Winning and then quitting not only meant giving up her own chance but also effectively cutting off the path for her compatriots Yang and Xu in Hobart. Is that really fair?

Currently, Wang has lost in the singles second round to Linette and has withdrawn from doubles, ending her Hobart campaign entirely. Previously, fans hoped Wang could recreate Zheng Jie's 2005 championship glory in Hobart, but now that is out of the question.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)