The scheduling of the Italian Open and the tournament’s decision to keep the women’s singles quarter-final tie going in the rain received flak from fans and analysts alike as the audience called out the ‘double standards’ of the game. World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty kept playing against American Coco Gauff in rain-hit Rome while the match between World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsitpas was suspended.

As the match went on, Barty made the ‘surprising call’ of retiring from the game in the Italian Open quarters. She showed discomfort on her right arm and retired in the second set.

Even though Barty said that the call was made keeping the Roland Garros in mind, fans were irate as the match was halted several times due to the rainfall.

However, the women’s singles tie was in contrast to Djokovic’s quarters’ tie.

Djokovic and Tsitsitpas left the court after it started raining and did not emerge again. The match was suspended. This attracted negative traction from the fans as they pointed out an ‘inexplicable’ difference in the women’s and men’s tour.

Fans also called out the ‘stupid’ scheduling of the quarters and could not understand why the tournament was scheduled like that.

Top seed Barty, the 2019 French Open champion, was leading 6-4, 2-1 when she pulled out to receive treatment during her match.

“The pain was becoming too severe,” news agency AFP quoted Barty as saying. “It was really important that I listen to my body knowing we have a Grand Slam in two weeks’ time.”

Barty added: “It’s something I’ve had to manage over my career.

Djokovic, on the other hand, survived a three-set battle to advance to the Italian Open semi-finals on Saturday.

The defending champion won through 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 after three hours and 16 minutes on court in the clash which had been suspended from Friday because of rain.

The Serb, a five-time Rome winner, had been trailing 6-4, 2-1 when the game was halted overnight.