Caroline Wozniacki accuses rival of cheating

A WAR of words has erupted after Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki slung mud at a rival’s dodgy tactics.

Caroline Wozniacki accused her opponent of cheating.

CAROLINE Wozniacki accused Monica Niculescu of cheating during their third round clash at the Qatar Open and the war of words continued after the match.

Defending Australian Open champion Wozniacki won the encounter 7-5 6-1 but she complained to the chair umpire her life was being made unnecessarily difficult because of Niculescu’s dodgy gamesmanship.

The Dane blew up about Niculescu was changing the sound and timing of her grunting to put the World No. 1 off her game, often making different noises when Wozniacki was about to hit the ball.

Locked at 4-4 in the first set, Wozniacki approached the umpire with her issues.

“It’s the only way she can win, is to put people off,” Wozniacki complained to an unyielding official, who claimed the grunting was “regular”.

“It says in the rule book that you’re not allowed to grunt when your opponent’s about to hit. It is clear in the rule book.

“It’s normal? No it’s not.”

Her protests fell on deaf ears as the umpire refused to take action.

"That's the only way she can win". Wozniacki complaining about Niculescu's grunts #QatarTotalOpen pic.twitter.com/ZYYRwsBHSk

— Ramona Toderaş (@RamonaToderas) February 15, 2018

Wozniacki wasn’t prepared to forgive and forget following her straight sets triumph, taking aim at the Romanian again in her post-match media commitments.

“Obviously she’s a player that tried to get into your head,” Wozniacki said.

“She’ll hit the ball and then two seconds later when the ball is on my side and I’m right about to hit, she’ll start grunting and make a loud noise. And she’ll change the grunt according to what she feels like.

“It’s disturbing. It’s one thing if you hit the ball and you start grunting straight away, then you can grunt a little longer — I don’t have a problem with that. But it’s when you’re about to hit your shot and you’re prepared, and all of a sudden a grunt is coming.

“It’s in the rules that they’re not supposed to do that.”

She reportedly continued her tirade in the Danish component of her presser.

“It was a tough match. She tried to irritate me, I made some dumb mistakes. She tries to get inside your head,” Wozniacki said. “She used unfair methods, but it is what it is.”

Niculescu wasn’t prepared to cop the cheating accusations lying down, allegedly firing back when she spoke to the media.

“That was very bad from her, I have never heard a No. 1 to talk like that,” Niculescu said.

“I am really disappointed by what she said and I think she gives herself too much importance.

“I didn’t want to get in her head. This is how I play.”