Daria Kasatkina’s Earring Mishap Costs Her Points at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England — Daria Kasatkina‘s third-round match at Wimbledon took an unexpected turn on Saturday when an earring malfunction cost her a crucial point against Liudmila Samsonova. The incident occurred during the match when the 16th-seeded Kasatkina lobbed a forehand return to the 19th-seeded Samsonova.

As Kasatkina raised her shoulder to make the shot, her earring became caught on her Adidas shirt. The mishap left her unable to respond to Samsonova’s subsequent backhand, leading to a loss of the point.

“That’s not something you see very often,” a BBC commentator noted. “That’s so unfortunate, especially as she was within touching distance in the game.” Despite the incident, Kasatkina maintained her composure early in the match, reaching a 2-2 tie in the first set.

However, Samsonova quickly turned up the pressure, winning back-to-back breaks to take the first set 6-2. Rain delays interrupted the match, but Samsonova did not lose momentum, ultimately winning the second set 6-3 to secure her spot in the Round of 16.

After the match, Kasatkina acknowledged Samsonova’s skills, saying, “I knew that it was going to be very tough. She’s in great shape, winning a lot, especially on grass, and her game… It’s very good on this surface.”

Kasatkina praised her opponent’s powerful serving, noting speeds reaching 170 miles per hour. “I didn’t feel like she was giving me any gifts today,” Kasatkina said.

Samsonova’s next match will be against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Monday, as Wimbledon continues through next Sunday.