Tennis matches brim with surprises, and the court itself sometimes plays a role. Courts are meticulously prepared for players’ relentless aggression, nets are secured, and lines are ready for action, but technical issues still arise. And it’s the umpire’s job to check conditions before resuming. Still, at the Eastbourne Open, during Barbora Krejcikova and Jodie Anna Burrage’s match, this wasn’t the case—an unusual twist in the drama of tennis’s technical tales.

On Wednesday at Eastbourne, fans got more drama than expected when the net gave way during a match between Wimbledon champ Krejcikova and Burrage. Midway through Krejcikova serving to stay in the second set, her forehand clipped the net—or so it seemed. But as the ball landed on Jodie’s side, Jodie stopped play, telling umpire Marija Cicak the ball hadn’t just grazed the net—it had gone right through!

Burrage tried to get Cicak’s attention, but the umpire wasn’t convinced. Cicak was heard saying in an ITA Instagram reel, “I’ve seen it like this and like this. I didn’t see it through,” explaining her view that the ball hadn’t passed through the net. The crowd buzzed as Burrage insisted she was right, and the tension built.

After a closer look, Burrage pointed out the actual tear in the net, prompting quick repairs. Krejcikova conceded the point, and play resumed with a tied-up net. Krejcikova went on to win the match, but fans couldn’t stop talking about Cicak’s initial disbelief and the wild twist that kept everyone on their toes!

Fans lash out at the umpire during Barbora Krejcikova’s match

One fan couldn’t believe it: “How can the referee not see that!!!!!” It’s a tricky spot, but if you watch the video closely, the ball does seem to go through the net. Fans felt even more frustrated by Marija Cicak’s instant answer—she didn’t check the net or a replay before making the call. As another fan put it, “How, saying ‘there is no hole there’ before checking🤯”

When a player raises an issue—be it a line call, a disturbance, or a technical problem like a broken net—the chair umpire steps in as the ultimate authority. On clay, umpires inspect ball marks, like with Nadal. But for other issues, they act fast. For example, in Jannik Sinner’s 2025 Australian Open match against Holger Rune, Sinner’s powerful serve knocked the net screw loose. Chair umpire Nico Helwerth stopped play, checked the damage, and called for repairs. The delay lasted about 20 minutes, and the players even went to the locker room to escape the heat. One fan joked, “The umpire has so little to do and still makes dreadful calls.”

Another fan mocked Cicak’s response: “‘There is no hole there.’ Ok, but what is this? 😎” There was clearly a hole in the net. If the umpire had gotten up, she might have spotted it before Burrage pointed it out.

But this isn’t the first time for Marija Cicak. As one fan noted, “This ump seems to have a lot of issues on tour,” referencing her previous encounters. She is a highly respected, experienced umpire. However, she’s been involved in several on-court discussions—most are just part of the tension in top-level tennis, not major controversies. Still, her strictness stands out.

In both the 2023 Western & Southern Open and the 2025 Miami Open, Cicak gave Iga Swiatek time violations, leading to playful—or frustrated—remarks from Swiatek. At the 2023 Italian Open, Jelena Ostapenko clashed with Cicak over a line call, famously saying, “You will never, ever be at my match again.”

Despite these moments, Cicak’s commitment to the rules is clear. But in the end, Barbora Krejcikova’s sportsmanship—conceding the point—won the crowd over. She advanced to the quarterfinals, where she’ll face Varvara Gracheva. Will we see more sportsmanship, or will the umpire steal the spotlight again? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!