Marketa Vondrousova seemingly felt indirectly called out by Brad Gilbert's recent take and the 2023 Wimbledon champion wasn't impressed with it at all, saying that she was "disgusted" with Coco Gauff's ex-coach.
In case you missed it, Vondrousova overcame Elena Rybakina in a three-set US Open round-of-16 showdown to set up another exciting matchup against Aryna Sabalenka. But just before taking on the Belarusian world No. 1, the Czech tennis player pulled out of the match, citing a knee injury.
Appearing on Andy Roddick's Served podcast, Gilbert - who guided Gauff to her maiden Grand Slam win at the 2023 US Open - was asked if he would change some rules in tennis. That's when the 64-year-old revealed that he has an issue with players who play only a few days after claiming to have picked up an injury.
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I do get totally annoyed now about players pulling a rip cord in the middle of a match and then they play next week. It is a really weird thing that a guy is pulling a rip cord in the third or fourth round and then literally it wasnt that bad that you could play next week, or you are playing the doubles the next day. There should be a rule against that if you pull out of match, you cant play next week," Gilbert said.
Vondrousova hits back at Gilbert: Let's give athletes hell for being injured
A Czech sporting publication wrote an article about Gilbert's recent comments. And, seemingly, the publication, as well as the Czech tennis star herself, felt those remarks were directed at the 2023 Wimbledon winner.
The former world No. 6 re-posted the article in question to her Instagram Story and wrote: "Let's give athletes hell for being injured, I'm disgusted with Brad too (translated from Czech).
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After withdrawing from the Sabalenka match, Vondrousova said that making such a decision "broke my heart."
