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bizarre tennis result caught up in match-fix allegations because of coaching policy

Weird match this.

Tennis authorities looking into Wozniacki match

US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki led 7-5 5-0 against local veteran Anne Kremer in a round one match on Tuesday. She was battling with a hamstring injury which she knew she wouldn't be able to play with in the next round (these things almost always get worse once the athlete has cooled down and tries to play again). During the coaching breaks which are allowed in the WTA, her father, speaking in Polish was clearly telling her to retire because she wouldn't play the next round anyway. I applaud her father for doing that - firstly, it's to save her from further injury and secondly, it gave a local player, who will probably retire soon, the chance to play in R2 instead of having that match given as a walkover. There is honour in that approach in my opinion.

But because the rules say that microphones must be able to pick up what is said during coaching breaks, sharp viewers who can understand Polish would have picked up on what was said and cashed in by laying her at a very short price. Wozniacki is Danish by nationality but Polish by birth and it's well known in tennis circles that she speaks to her father in their native tongue.

I don't see how she could be charged for 'lack of effort' in the match as per the article. She wouldn't stop trying, her dad had to stop her for her own benefit!

Unfortunate more than anything, I don't think there is anything sinister in this at all, other than her dad being caught out by the WTA's open-mic policy. If there's a suspicious WTA match they want to investigate, try the Vinci - K.Bondarenko match from Tuesday. The betting on that match told the story...

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