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Danish tennis star Wozniacki could boycott Miami Open after abuse

The Local Denmark
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Danish tennis star Wozniacki could boycott Miami Open after abuse
Photo: AP Photo/Vincent Thian/Ritzau Scanpix

Caroline Wozniacki is considering not playing at next year's Miami Open due to abuse she was subjected to during a match against Mónica Puig at the event last month.

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Following the match, which Puig won in three sets, the Danish no. 1 spoke out against threatening shouts she said came from the stands during the match, including death wishes against her parents and threats and foul language at her boyfriend David Lee and Lee’s young niece and nephew.

That could affect her future participation in the tournament, the Australian Open champion said.

“I slept horrible for probably four or five days after that. I wasn’t at ease. I really felt awful. There was a bad feeling in my stomach,” Wozniacki said, the Telegraph reports.

“… to have David’s niece and nephew come over crying after the match – and having to explain to them because it’s not normal and this is not the way that people should behave – it’s not a good feeling. I just have to make a decision next year on whether I feel like I want to go back or not. I haven't made that decision yet,” she said.

The Miami Open is one of the four biggest events on the women’s tour outside of the majors.

Puig, a Puerto Rican who took the singles gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016, was overwhelmingly backed by the home crowd as she came back to win the first round match against Wozniacki 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Wozniacki has criticised the Miami Open organisers for not reacting to the abuse. Tournament director James Blake, a former player, said that security staff had not heard the shouts cited by Wozniacki.

Blake said that security and officials “never witnessed, nor were they notified, of any specific threats made to the players or their families,” according to the Telegraph’s report.

“James Blake has been through these things himself and I would have hoped that he would have taken a stance, but he didn’t and that’s that. I’ve just tried to forget the whole thing, but I think it was important that I spoke up and said something about it because I don’t think it was okay,” Wozniacki said.

“I have a decision to make once the tournament comes around next year,” she added.

During the 2015 US Open, a policeman violently tackled Blake to the ground in a case of mistaken identity as he waited in Manhattan to catch a shuttle bus.

Wozniacki took a break from the tour following her defeat at the Miami Open, but will commence the clay court season at the 2018 Istanbul Cup next week.

READ ALSO: Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki wins Australian Open

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