David Lee and Caroline Wozniacki were definitely not this happy at Wimbledon. Photo / Instagram.
David Lee and Caroline Wozniacki were definitely not this happy at Wimbledon. Photo / Instagram.
Caroline Wozniacki has been sensationally knocked out of Wimbledon in a third-round shock as controversy exploded on Court No. 2.
The Dane raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first set before capitulating against World No. 50 Shuai Zhang. Wozniacki dropped six games straight to lose the opener in 40 minutes and her woes continued in the second set.
Battling a wayward forehand and issues with Hawkeye, Wozniacki was powerless to reverse the momentum shift as she suffered a 6-4 6-2 defeat.
The 2018 Australian Open champion was adamant technology was against her. Midway through the second set she was fuming when Zhang challenged a forehand that was called out, only for Hawkeye to say the ball was in.
"That ball is not even close to being halfway on the line. It was out," Wozniacki told the umpire.
That drama escalated a game later when a similar incident made Wozniacki see red.
"It's so ridiculous. This is absurd. That one was far out, this one was maybe close, but it's out. It's crazy," she said.
The outrage then hit new levels with Wozniacki serving, down 4-1 in the set, as her husband — former NBA star David Lee — interjected about the unfair treatment his wife was receiving.
Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki remonstrates with umpire Nacho Forcadell as she disputes a line call as she plays China's Shuai Zhang in a Women's singles match. Photo / AP
Once again Zhang challenged a ball from her racquet that was called out and Hawkeye came to her rescue. As Wozniacki approached the umpire to vent again, the camera panned to Lee in the stands.
"That ball's this far out!" he yelled.
Wozniacki was absolutely filthy.
"How am I supposed to play when I lose a break because these calls are not right?" she said. "How is Hawkeye this bad?
"How am I supposed to play when every single time, the ball is overruled? It's crazy.
"Any time she challenges, the ball is going to be good."
The crowd was certainly on Wozniacki's side, roaring its disapproval as balls everyone thought were long and wide being shown to be in by the ball-tracking technology.
It appeared during the match even the umpire was agreeing with Wozniacki and she confirmed that was the case, revealing he even said he'd get someone to look at Hawkeye after the match but that was no help to her.
"Yeah, he was (agreeing with me). He saw it differently and the linesmen saw it differently, as well," Wozniacki said.
"That's what he said, for the next match. Well, I don't have a next match, so ..."
Wozniacki didn't blame Hawkeye for her defeat, repeatedly saying "it is what it is" in her post-match press conference, and stopped short of saying the All England Club needed to investigate what went wrong.
"I thought there were a few ones that I saw way differently. But it is what it is. You can't really change a Hawkeye call," she said.
"Maybe it was right. I just saw it differently.
"Obviously when you think you've won the point and then have to replay, that can be frustrating. Again, there's nothing you can do about it. You just have to keep going, keep playing. That's really it.
"You trust Hawkeye normally. You trust that it tells you the right thing. Sometimes you do see the balls a little differently than what the Hawkeye is. At least you know, okay, you can get it out of your mind.
"I do believe that it was not in the ideal place today."
This is Zhang's sixth appearance in the main singles draw at Wimbledon but only the first time she's ever made it past the first round. After sealing the win she let out a scream, sunk to her knees and pumped her fists.
Wozniacki was warmly clapped off the court as she departed.
NOTABLE WOMEN'S RESULTS
Simona Halep bt Victoria Azarenka 6-3 6-1, Karolina Pliskova bt Su-Wei Hsieh 6-3 2-6 6-4, Elina Svitolina bt Maria Sakkari 6-3 6-7 6-2.
