Australian Open: Maria Sharapova slammed for taking toilet break for SEVEN MINUTES against Ash Barty

Maria Sharapova has been accused of bad sportsmanship after taking a lengthy bathroom break during her shock loss to Ash Barty at the Australian Open. 

The Russian was booed by the Rod Laver Arena crowd after leaving the Australian waiting on the court in what appeared to be an attempt to halt her momentum. 

Barty, 22, lost the first set 6-4 before dominating the second, which she claimed 6-1.  

Sharapova then left the court before the start of the third set and didn’t reemerge for nearly eight minutes – much to the displeasure of fans and commentators alike.

‘Hiding in toilet to upset a competitor… just sad,’ one said, while others accused her of ‘cheating’ in a ‘pathetic attempt’ to halt Barty’s momentum. 

‘Sharapova takes a momentum break – sorry bathroom break – after Barty wins the second set,’ one wrote. 

The former world number one was in no mood to answer questions about her controversial break in her post-match press conference after going down in three sets to the Queenslander.    

The Russian was booed by the Rod Laver Arena crowd after leaving the Australian waiting on the court in what appeared to be an attempt to halt her momentum

Sharapova then left the court before the start of the third set and didn’t reemerge for nearly eight minutes – much to the displeasure of fans and commentators alike

‘What do you want me to say to that question?’ she responded when asked if the crowd’s booing affected her performance. 

‘I think that’s a silly question to ask.’

Sharapova also took exception to a question about her no longer being able to take meldonium, a drug she used for a decade before being suspended for 15 months after continuing to use it after it was banned.

‘Now that it’s banned and you can no longer take it, is that a struggle physically to deal with it, the demand of a grand slam fortnight?’ she was asked.

The former world number one went down in three sets to Ash Barty (pictured) on Sunday 

The former world number one was in no mood to answer questions about her controversial break in her post-match press conference

‘Is there another question?’ Sharapova fired back.

Barty said she had no issues with Sharapova’s break.  

‘She’s within the rules of the game. You can take a toilet break, you are allowed one toilet break per match,’ Barty said. 

‘I think she just went to the locker room as opposed to the one that was close to the court. There is nothing I can do. 

Sharapova of Russia reacts in her fourth round match against Ashleigh Barty of Australia

Barty celebrates after defeating Russia’s Maria Sharapova in their fourth round match at the Australian Open

‘I just have to wait, and I know she was playing by the rules that are in the rule book. It didn’t bother me at all.’ 

Sharapova’s defeat, as well as the shock exit on Sunday of second seed and fellow former champion Angelique Kerber, has blown Barty’s bottom half of the draw wide open.

If she can topple Czech sixth seed Petra Kvitova in Tuesday’s quarter-finals, she will face either Kerber’s surprise conqueror Danielle Collins, unseeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or world No.5 Sloane Stephens for a place in the title decider. 

Sharapova’s defeat, as well as the shock exit on Sunday of second seed and fellow former champion Angelique Kerber, has blown Barty’s bottom half of the draw wide open

If she can topple Czech sixth seed Petra Kvitova in Tuesday’s quarter-finals, Barty will face either Kerber’s surprise conqueror Danielle Collins, unseeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or world No.5 Sloane Stephens for a place in the title decider