WATCH | Stern umpire denies Wozniacki’s wrong challenge, gets applauded
Despite her brilliant comeback, as she managed to win from being 5-1 down in the decider, Caroline Wozniacki’s second round match against Jana Fett will be remembered for her feud with the official. She challenged Fett's shot after seeing her return go out, but the umpire was having none of it.
The Dane has been made one of the favourites in the Australian Open, despite never winning a major, only because of the easy draw that she has been handed. However, Croatia’s Fett made sure that she had to shed every ounce of her sweat for the points writing off the notion of her ‘easy run’ in the second round itself.
Though Wozniacki won her second-round game with a comeback expected from a second seed, she survived a major scare against the World 103 and the duel on Rod Laver Arena was marred by her numerous clashes with the umpire. The most heated one among them came during the second set when Wozniacki challenged a "long" shot by Fett after seeing her return falling well over her opponent’s baseline.
However, the umpire was quick to remind her that she was extremely sloppy in her challenge. “Caroline, you waited to see the result of your shot. You’ve got to be faster than that,” said the official. Wozniacki, who had already lost the first set 6-3, countered that she couldn’t hit a shot and raise her hand to signal for the challenge. “I am hitting a two-handed backhand. What do you want me to do? Like hit with one hand and show?” gestured the athlete lifting her left hand.
But, the official was having none of it. He replied, “I told you in the pre-match meeting that you should raise your voice and not lift your arm. You waited to see the result of your shot and then said challenge.”
Though the Canadian ace continued with her argument, even suggesting that both of the players should square themselves, her voice was drowned in the wave of applause coming from the stands for the umpire.
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