Wozniacki calls for action after ‘death threats’

CAROLINE Wozniacki has alleged that she and her family were subject to verbal abuse during Friday’s surprise defeat by Monica Puig at the Miami Open.

The 2018 Australian Open champion, who was beaten 0-6 6-4 6-4 in the second round of the competition, said that death threats were also made against her family during the match.

Wozniacki claims security at Miami Open “did nothing to prevent” the abuse and “even accepted this to take place”.

“Last night I lost a tough match to a great opponent and friend Monica Puig at the Miami Open. I’m fully aware that tennis is a game of wins and losses,” she said on social media.

“However, during the match last night people in the crowd threatened my family, wished death threats on my mom and dad, called me names that I can’t repeat here and told my fiance’s niece and nephew (who are 10 years old) to sit down and shut the **** up, meanwhile security and staff did nothing to prevent this and even accepted this to take place.

“While I always encourage fans to cheer for their favourite player, and I thrive on a challenging atmosphere, when certain lines are crossed, it makes tennis miserable for both competitors.

“I hope the Miami Open chooses to take this seriously because it’s a horrible example to set for the next generation of tennis players and fans.

“I wish Monica all the best for the rest of the tournament.”

Wozniacki looked to be in command as she won the first set 6-0 but Puig, ranked 82nd in the world, started to apply the pressure at the start of the second, setting up a break point in the first game.

Her backhand proved to be key as the Miami resident charged to victory in one hour and 55 minutes.

The unseeded Puig will now face Greece’s Maria Sakkari for her first third-round match-up in Miami.

Meanwhile, Johanna Konta continued her timely return to form with a 75-minute rout of Elise Mertens to reach the fourth round of the Miami Open.

The defending champion, whose triumph last year paved the way for a march into the world top 10, faces a slide down the rankings if she fails to repeat the feat.

Konta has risen impressively to the challenge, building on her first-round win over Kirsten Flipkens with an emphatic 6-2 6-1 win to see off the 22nd seed.

Konta had been pegged back after an early break against Mertens before reeling off four successive games to take the first set in style.

She proved clinical in exposing Bertens’ problems on serve to seal the match in convincing fashion.

Konta’s consistency in Miami will come as a confidence boost for the Briton who has broadly struggled since losing her Wimbledon semi-final to Venus Williams last year. Feeling the heat: Caroline Wozniacki suffered a surprise defeat to Monica Puig in the second round of the Miami Open