In an unexpected and oddly endearing moment at the Washington Open, Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari attempted to save a bug that had wandered onto the court during her round-of-16 match against Emma Navarro.
Noticing the insect mid-game, Sakkari gently picked it up and carried it off the playing surface. But before the small creature could make a safe escape, a ballboy inadvertently stepped on it with his sneaker, crushing it. The former world No. 3 gave a brief smile and returned to the match without protest.
Sakkari went on to defeat Navarro in straight sets, 7–5, 7–6 (7–1), to secure her spot in the tournament quarterfinals.
She will next face the winner of the matchup between Emma Raducanu (UK) and Naomi Osaka (Japan), promising another exciting showdown at the WTA 500 event.
The Washington Open, which offers a prize fund of $1.28 million, runs from July 19 to 27 and attracts top-tier women’s tennis talent from around the world.
