Hi. I read a few times already that the 1999 Copenhagen World Championships Women Singles is one of the most controversial finals of all times. Why is it so? Is it caused by a biased linesmen, or other things?
I watched that match on tape. It was played in Demark, but I don't think the linemen favored either side at all. It was an exciting 3 game match. Camilla was leading like 7 or 8 points in the final game. Camilla was either running out of gas or too nervous and kept making unforced errors. Dai Yun came back to tie the game at 10-all. Camilla set the game to 1 point. After a couple services exchanges, Camilla won the final game 11-10. The only thing I think is controversial is that Camilla refused to change the bird at 10-all requested by Dai Yun when she's serving.
actually. the story goes back a week before, during the Sudirman Cup which was held in the same exact location in Copenhagen, Denmark. the Sudirman Cup final was played between China and Denmark. the woman singles tie was played between, you guessed it, Dai Yun and Camilla. the match was played to the 3rd set. Dai i believe was losing 2-9. she slowly crawled back from 2-9 to draw at 10-10. Camilla chose to set to 13. many many service exchanged later, Dai won the match, it was so emotionally draining that Dai broke into tears. a week later during the WC, the same two players, in the same arena, got to the final of the WC. the score? it was 3rd set, Dai was again losing by a large margin and again crawled back point by point to 10-10. at a stroke of genius, Camilla chose NOT to set. indicated to the umpire, and the umpired announce no set. so they continued playing and Camilla won two rallies in a row. the Danish crowd erupted into cheers while Dai was standing there as if struck by a baseball bat. it turned out that she didn't hear the umpire announce the not setting of point and that the scoreboard showed that they are setting to 13. she totally expect to continue play while the match finished. i wouldn't say it is too controversial as i believe the umpire's announcement clearly says it. it was only drama considering almost exactly the same thing happened exactly a week ago in the same location...
