Caroline Wozniacki accused Dayana Yastremska of faking injury in their second round match at the Australian Open, now her teen rival has fired back.
Former world No. 1 Wozniacki was leading 7-5 5-4 having recovered from a 3-0 deficit in the second set of the pair’s match on Wednesday when the Ukrainian called for a medical timeout.
Wozniacki, who won her sole grand slam title in Melbourne two years ago, broke 19-year-old Yastremska in the final game of the match to take the second set - and the match - 7-5.
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“Obviously, she tried to break my rhythm,” the Dane, who will retire after the Australian Open, said.
“At 5-4 I don’t think there was anything wrong, she was running just fine. That’s a trick that she’s done before and I knew it was coming.”
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‘End this useless convo’
Yastremska and her coach both responded after the match as Wozniacki’s comments were widely reported and the teenager’s reputation was called into question.
The No. 23 seed dismissed her rival’s claim in blunt fashion.
“I took (the time-out) because I felt I needed it,” Yastremska said.
Meanwhile her coach, Sascha Bajin, told Wozniacki to “focus on yourself”.
“Just to shut some people up and end this useless convo,” Bajin wrote on Twitter.
“Dayana was really struggling since days with her leg, but since y’all are all doctors and coaches you know better then she herself or our whole team who’s working with her.”
‘Medical was trash’
During the Brisbane International earlier this month, Dutch player Kiki Bertens was asked about Yastremska taking a timeout during their round of 32 match.
“Well, I played her three times and three times it’s happened, so that’s my answer,” said Bertens.
During the final of last year’s Thailand Open, Yastremska called for a medical timeout while trailing 5-2 in the third set against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, only to rally and win the final set 7-6.
“That medical was trash,” Tomljanovic’s compatriot Nick Kyrgios tweeted at the time.
WTA regulations
According to WTA regulations, players are permitted to call for treatment on the court at a change of ends if they are suffering from a non-acute medical condition such as muscle cramping.
However, they also state that a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct may be issued if deemed that gamesmanship is involved.
CNN has contacted the Australian Open and Yastremska, via the WTA, for comment but has not received a response.
Wozniacki will face world No. 78 Ons Jabeur in the third round as she bids to end her career on a high note.
The 29-year-old, a former world No. 1, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2018 but said the decision to call time on her tennis career has nothing to do with her health.
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