French tennis player Kristina Mladenovic has launched a stunning tirade at US Open organisers, saying she felt like a "prisoner" in the "abominable" conditions. Her comments came after an on-court meltdown for the ages, with the 30th seed blowing a 6-1, 5-1 lead against Varvara Gracheva.
Mladenovic, who was one of the players put in a 'bubble within the bubble' after Benoit Paire tested positive, had four match points in the second set but couldn't convert, with Gracheva prevailing 1-6, 7-6, 6-0.
"The most painful match I've had in my career," Mladenovic said.
"I didn't take my chances. I was crashing down and collapsed. I collapsed. I had nothing left in the tank."
https://twitter.com/josemorgado/status/1301213044924653569?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwMladenovic then took aim at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) over the conditions in New York.
"It's a nightmare what we are experiencing here," Mladenovic said, close to tears.
"I have only one desire, and that's to get my freedom back and even that we don't have yet.
"If I had known that playing cards for 40 minutes with a mask with a player who tested positive and ultimately negative would have these consequences, I would never have set foot in this tournament."
Mladenovic was one of seven players hit with the strongest restrictions after being identified as close contacts when Paire tested positive.
According to USTA documents obtained by crackedracquets.com, Mladenovic was required to undergo temperature checks and COVID-19 screening each morning, with private transportation between their hotel and the tournament site.
The seven players were not allowed to leave their hotel rooms except to travel to Flushing Meadows, with their tournament credentials confiscated when they returned to their hotel rooms. Other players were allowed to move freely around the hotel when displaying their credentials.
Once at the US Open site, Mladenovic was not able to move around the grounds, but were restricted to an isolation area, except when directly supervised by a member of the tournament staff.
Finally, Mladenovic is now required to stay in quarantine at the hotel until September 12.
"I have the impression we are prisoners or criminals," Mladenovic said. "For even the slightest movement, we have to ask permission even though we are tested every day and had 37 negatives. It's abominable. The conditions are atrocious.
"We are fighting to have our freedom."
Mladenovic wasn't the only big name to fall on day three, with top seed Karolina Pliskova, 11th seed Elena Rybakina, 12th seed Marketa Vondrousova, and 13th seed Alison Riske all crashing out.
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