Safarova blasts Czech friends over poor sportsmanship

She expressed hurt at an incident in her 6-2, 7-5 defeat in the women’s doubles semifinal at the US Open.

Lucie Safarova was playing alongside Barbora Strycova.

Lucie Safarova blasted Czech team-mates and friends Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova for poor sportsmanship in a heated US Open women's doubles semifinal on Friday, saying it was "sad" for tennis.

Safarova, who was playing alongside another Czech Barbora Strycova, was furious over an incident in her 6-2, 7-5 defeat. Siniakova hit a ball which deflected off the head of her team-mate.

Under the rules, the point should have gone to Safarova and Strycova but Hradecka did not acknowledge the ball had hit her. "Win or lose you should always play fair! Wouldn't expect that from a friend. Makes me really sad!..#sportsmanship#fairplay#sad," tweeted Safarova.