Aussie tennis star Daria Saville makes a grovelling apology after Thanasi Kokkinakis told her to delete social media post about huge controversy

Australian tennis star Daria Saville has issued a shock apology after her social media post about the sport’s biggest controversy drew a blisteringly blunt response from Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Saville gave X her opinion on what has been dubbed ‘the most controversial match point ever’, when Jack Draper defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime at the Cincinnati Open last Saturday.

Draper came back from a set down to beat the Canadian 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, but Auger-Aliassime managed to hold off the Briton and win the final point.

The referee ruled that Draper hit the winning shot with a volley, the ball hitting the frame of his racket and landing in Auger-Aliassime’s half of the court after hitting the net cord.

However, Auger-Aliassime angrily claimed that his rival had “grounded” the ball – meaning Draper had grounded the ball on his side of the court, after which it bounced over the net.

Saville posted the following tweet amid a debate in tennis circles: ‘1. It’s not a double bounce (Draper attempted a volley but picked the ball up on the bounce.

‘2. He doesn’t hit the ball on the ground. (Because if he did, the ball would spin forward.) 3. Even if it’s a double hit, it’s still one hit, so it’s legal.’

Kokkinakis then posted the following message, using Saville’s nickname: ‘Dash pls delete’.

Kokkinakis (pictured playing in Canada last week) told Saville to delete her tweet about what has been dubbed ‘the most controversial match point ever’

Saville was commenting on the huge debate that erupted after Jack Draper (right) defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime (left) in a dramatic final point at the Cincinnati Open

Saville simply replied, “Okay,” and did so, before posting, “I sincerely apologize for my actions. I take full responsibility and am committed to becoming a better person.”

That led to tennis fans supporting her handling of the controversy and urging her to stand up to the silence.

“He doesn’t own you girl,” one person wrote.

“You shouldn’t have deleted it. You’re 100% right,” another added.

Other commenters wrote: ‘You don’t have to apologize!’, ‘No Daria, you were right!’ and ‘You don’t have to apologize for anything. Kokkinakis should apologize to you after his post. You were bullied into deleting a post that only showed how differently many people saw the incident.’

However, others felt that Saville’s apology may have been too flippant and deliberately over the top.

“Don’t let them silence you even if you were wrong!! #IStandWithDasha,” one fan wrote, to which Saville replied: “Bahahahah.”

“Daria, what you did was unacceptable. It will take a lot to forgive you,” another commenter added.

Saville responded by writing, “I believe that time will heal my life and I will work to get better.”

She and Kokkinakis weren’t the only stars to weigh in on the Cincinnati drama.

Kokkinakis hit Saville with a blunt message after she expressed her opinion that Draper had done nothing wrong and that the shot that won him the match was legal.

The 30-year-old subsequently issued a revealing apology, leaving some tennis fans concerned she was being bullied into speaking out.

Novak Djokovic demanded that the tennis association make changes to ensure the “embarrassing” issue “never happens again”.

“It’s shameful that we don’t have video footage of these kinds of situations on the pitch,” the Serbian superstar tweeted.

‘What’s even more ridiculous is that we don’t have a rule that allows the chair umpires to change the original decision based on the video review that takes place off the field!

‘Everyone watching TV sees what happens in the replay, but the players on the field are left ‘in the dark’ and do not know what the outcome will be.

“We have Hawkeye for line calls, we live in the technologically advanced 21st century! Please, respective Tours, make sure this nonsense never happens again!”