KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) — Reigning Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki says she and her family were targets of verbal abuse and threats from the crowd during her opening match at the Miami Open, which she lost to Monica Puig.
In a statement Saturday posted on Twitter, Wozniacki said the tournament did nothing to prevent the abuse. Tournament director James Blake responded that while the crowd was "loud and passionate," Miami Open staff, WTA Tour officials and courtside security were unaware during the match of any threats made.
Wozniacki lost 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 Friday night.
"I lost a tough match to a great opponent and friend Monica Puig," Wozniacki said in her statement. "I am fully aware that tennis is a game of wins and losses. 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 ... up, meanwhile security and staff did nothing to prevent this and even accepted this to take place."