AN IRRITATED WORLD number one Caroline Wozniacki progressed to the Qatar Open quarter-finals on Thursday in a match where she complained and apparently mocked her opponent Monica Niculescu’s grunting.
The recently crowned Australian Open champion won 7-5, 6-1 against the Romanian — who had knocked out Maria Sharapova in a previous round — but was visibly agitated in the ninth game of the first set, complaining her opponent was making noises as the Dane was about to hit the ball.
Wozniacki was so upset about the sounds coming from the other side of the net that she complained to French umpire Emmanuel Joseph.
“It isn’t in the rule book that you are not allowed to grunt when the opposing player hits?” courtside microphones caught her asking Joseph.
The umpire said he thought everything was “regular”, but Wozniacki added: “It’s the only way she can win.”
She then mimicked the grunts.
Afterwards she complained that her opponent was “a player that tries to get into your head”.
She also told Danish TV that her opponent had used “unfair methods”.
(I) just tried to let him know to pay attention to her grunting because she’ll hit the ball and two seconds later when the ball is on my side and I’m right about to hit, she’ll start grunting and make a noise,” the Dane told reporters.
“And she will change the grunt according to what she feels like.”
Asked if she thought her opponent was grunting deliberately, Wozniacki responded: “I think that she didn’t do it in the second set, so…”
The spat overshadowed a relatively routine victory for the 27-year-old.
She now plays a former Australian Open champion, Angelique Kerber, in the last eight on Friday.
The German came from a set down to beat Johanna Konta 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
The woman Wozniacki beat in Melbourne, Simona Halep, is also through beating Anastasija Sevastova 6-4, 6-3, keeping alive the possibility of a replay of the Australian Open final.
Halep shrugged off injury concerns coming into the match about an ankle injury which had kept her out of action since Melbourne.
She seemed relatively untroubled breaking her opponent’s serve late in each set to advance to the last eight.
I’m really glad that I could finish it in two sets and play like I played,” said Halep.
The world number two will play 18-year-old American qualifier Catherine Bellis in the last eight, who beat defending champion and world number five Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
It is the first time the teenager has beaten anyone ranked in the top five.
“I think it’s definitely a milestone. It’s great,” she said.
Garbine Muguruza, world number four, breezed through beating Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-4 and will play France’s Caroline Garcia in the next round.
And a resurgent Petra Kvitova beat world number three Elina Svitolina 6-4, 7-5 to set up a quarter-final clash with another top-ten player, Germany’s Julia Goerges.
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The exaggerated grunting in women’s tennis should be banned. There’s no need for it. Wozniacki is spot on here.
@Ed King: I’d say you’re sick of women exaggerating their grunts alright
@Jamie Smith: @Ed King lads can you see my last comment or did the poor Snowflake take offence and remove it?
@Jamie Smith: surprise surprise. Same condescending bell bed commenting negatively on serious issues
@Karlavaro: serious issues ? A woman grunting too loud ? You need to get out more if you think thats a serious issue
@Jamie Smith: You’re so cool.
@Ed King: thanks it means a lot coming from someone like you
I wish I had the same problem!!
Over paid for to few sets. Stuck to the baseline and ban the grunting. Get a grip girls..
@Dead Ball Browne: “over paid for to few sets”
Ill presume you meant “too”. And then ask you to name 4 competitions where men play more sets than women?
@Stephen Coveney: I dont think agree with the other user that they are overpaid. They should get paid whatever the demand is. But for the point about name four competitions – In the ATP & WTA events, both Men & Women tennis players play best of 3 sets. But when it comes to Grand Slams, the Men play 5 sets. so the French Open, Wimbledon, Australian Open and US Open.