Iga Swiatek has reached the semifinals of the Australian Open for the second time in her career, dominating Emma Navarro with a score of 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at Rod Laver Arena. However, the victory was overshadowed by a significant controversy that ignited strong reactions from the tennis community, with some fans even accusing Swiatek of being a "cheat."

Given her past performances in Melbourne, not many expected Swiatek to make it this far, let alone aim for her fifth Grand Slam title. Yet, the second seed has been sailing through the tournament without dropping a single set.

Things took a turn during a pivotal moment in the quarterfinal when Swiatek won a key point after Navarro's drop shot, even though the ball had bounced twice. This incident occurred in the second set, and Navarro quickly alerted the umpire, but the call was dismissed. This point gave Swiatek an advantage on her serve, and she went on to win the game with a backhand winner, taking a 3-2 lead.

"Honestly, I didn’t check the replay after that point because I wanted to stay focused," Swiatek explained to reporters post-match. "I didn’t want that moment to linger in my mind, but I wasn’t sure if it was a double bounce or if I hit it with my frame. It was tough to tell since I was sprinting and didn’t even see the contact. Sometimes you just hit the ball without looking. I thought it was the umpire's responsibility to make the call. I didn’t see it, so I just moved on and focused on the next point."

The incident quickly caused a stir during the broadcast, with commentator Sam Smith going off on the chair umpire and questioning why Navarro didn’t call for a review. He exclaimed, "You’ve got to be kidding! Navarro feels the same way. She believes that ball was out. But the umpire isn’t having it. That was obviously a double bounce. So why didn’t she request a video review?"

Jelena Dokic chimed in, saying, "Well, she did ask after the point was over, but you really need to ask right away. Maybe she wasn’t sure, so she thought she could win the point. She did ask the umpire, but he didn’t allow it."

Smith responded, "That’s not a good rule. How are players supposed to react?" Alicia Molik added, "That’s a really tough situation for both players."

Commentator Jose Morgado questioned, "What? Where’s VAR? This is absurd. That was a clear double bounce."

He later remarked, "Swiatek got that point. Quarterfinals of a slam. Not a good look for tennis," along with a snapshot showing the ball clearly bouncing before Swiatek returned it.

The incident also sparked a discussion about the tennis rule regarding video reviews during the season's first Grand Slam, especially with the absence of let machines on the nets.

Among the fans, opinions were split. Some felt Swiatek should have taken responsibility for the mistake, while others directed their frustration at the match official.

"Iga Swiatek saw her shot on the big screen and it clearly showed a double bounce, yet the umpire still gave her the point. That's a total lack of integrity. She should have just given the point to Emma Navarro. That's just wrong," tweeted user Jayele.

"She could have at least said sorry to Navarro after that point," another fan chimed in.

"Once again, Iga Swiatek is being called a cheat. She should have admitted it; it was obviously a double bounce," another strong opinion stated.

"Even beginners can tell when the ball bounces twice," commented another fan.

Read Also: BCCI Clarifies Rohit Sharma's Travel Plans to Pakistan Amid Jersey Controversy

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!