Tatiana Prozorova Criticizes WTA Medical Staff After Singapore Open Withdrawal

Tatiana Prozorova's breakthrough run at the Singapore Tennis Open has been overshadowed by a heated dispute with WTA medical staff after she was forced to withdraw from the singles semifinals.

Prozorova had entered the tournament as the world No. 180 but stunned world No. 18 Alexandra Eala in the round of 16 on Thursday, fighting back to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 after more than three hours on court. She then returned to action in the doubles quarterfinals alongside Sofia Lansere.

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That match would ultimately bring her Singapore Open run to an abrupt end.

Tatiana Prozorova Calls WTA Decision 'Completely Absurd'

During the doubles match against Miyu Kato and Ellen Perez, Kato struck a heavy overhead that hit Prozorova. The Russian collapsed and held her head before eventually being forced to retire from the match.

The WTA's primary physiotherapist subsequently required Prozorova to undergo an off-court concussion evaluation. She struggled during a balance test that required her to stand on one leg with her eyes closed, and medical staff diagnosed her with a concussion.

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Under the WTA's safety protocol, a confirmed concussion results in a mandatory six-day competitive suspension. That meant Prozorova was automatically ruled out of her scheduled singles semifinal against Talia Gibson.

The decision did not sit well with Prozorova.

Taking to Instagram, she described the ruling as "completely absurd and an overreach of authority by the WTA staff member."

Prozorova also claimed she was never informed that she had the right to refuse the medical evaluation.

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The 22-year-old disputed the concussion diagnosis and offered her own account of what happened during the doubles match.

According to Prozorova, the ball "grazed my cheek and hit my shoulder," rather than striking her head directly.

She also argued that her performance during the balance test did not accurately reflect her condition, pointing to the physical demands of her tournament run.

Prozorova had already played three consecutive singles matches, with two lasting more than three hours, before taking part in the doubles match.

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She claimed the exhaustion from that schedule affected her ability to complete the medical assessment and accused the head physiotherapist of "pressuring me, implying I couldn't make my own decisions."

Prozorova Defends Singapore Open Organizers After WTA Fallout

While Prozorova was highly critical of the medical decision, she made it clear that her frustration was not directed at the Singapore Open organizers.

In fact, she credited them with trying to keep her in the tournament.

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"The organizers fought for my right to continue competing. But ultimately, the decision was made by the WTA," Prozorova said.

That distinction is important given the timing of the controversy.

Just one day earlier, Prozorova had produced the biggest win of her career against Eala, one of the WTA's rising stars. The Filipino had arrived in Singapore having made significant strides on tour, but Prozorova rallied after dropping the opening set to reach the semifinals.

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Her victory over Eala had put her on the verge of another major breakthrough, only for the medical suspension to end her singles campaign before she could take the court against Gibson.

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