Alize Cornet Code Violation: Double Standard In Tennis?

French tennis star Alize Cornet splashes out of the US Open in a tough three-set opener. She’s making headlines for other reasons though.

During a 100 degree day at Flushing Meadows, French tennis star Alize Cornet changed shirts amidst a break. Realizing that she had put the shirt on backwards though, she took just seconds to correct the error. Doing so, violated a WTA ruling that says female players are not permitted to change on the court. Here is what it looked like.

Now, the code violation leaves tennis fans and players wondering whether or not there is a double standard in the sport.

Heat plays a major factor at a tournament such as the US Open. Players are regularly forced to retire due to difficult conditions and 2018 has been no different. Several matches have endded early in just the opening days due to players retiring from heat exhaustion. Anyone who’s played on an outdoor court for even a short amount of time during August understands how much sweat and heat can influence your game.

While the code violation did not play a deciding factor in the outcome of Cornet’s match, it is a moment for the WTA and US Open to step back and reevaluate the rules. Fans on social media were even quick to point out Novak Djokovic taking essentially what was an ice bath during his match.

Action at the 2018 US Open rolls on. Alize Cornet may be gone, but all eyes are on the sport. Many have already made statements about the Cornet violation. Judy Murray, mother of tennis stars Andy and Jamie took to social media about the incident. Stay tuned to see how others around the sport react. Despite her opening round singles loss, Cornet will also take the court in doubles action at Flushing Meadows this week. Check back for updates on all of the action at the US Open.