Caroline Wozniacki denounced Monica Niculescu’s moaning during the Doha Round of 16. Afterwards, the Dane was harshly criticized by the Romanian woman:”I think she takes herself too seriously”, Niculescu said about “Caro”.
From Ulrike Weinrich from Doha
The discussion had got underway after industry leader Wozniacki had complained to the chair referee in a duel with Niculescu (7:5,6:1) about her “lute” and the outside microphones were clearly audible, as the favourite told the referee:”This is the only way she could win. by making people lose their minds.”
Niculescu, who unexpectedly eliminated Maria Sharapova (Russia) in the first round of the Qatar Total Open, held out against it in the Romanian part of the press conference and handed it out against Wozniacki:”This is bad style. I’ve never heard a number one say anything like that before. I’m really disappointed in her, and I think she’s taking herself too seriously.” Boom! And suddenly, Doha had a grunting gate.
The fact that the Australian Open winner complained in a phase when the match was threatening to slip away was not well received. Wozniacki had led 4:1 in the first set, but increasingly revealed problems with Niculescu’s unconventional style (“I love how I play!”). The 30-year-old almost always undercuts the forehand (!!!!) and has already made one or two better placed opponents angry. Only on Monday Sharapova, who allowed herself completely unnerved 52 Unforced Errors. In the Players Lounge “Nicu”, who is a big fan of the Hollywood blockbuster “Gladiator”, is said to be one of the most unpleasant opponents.
For Wozniacki, however, first of all in Rage, there were several approaches to criticism:”She strikes the ball, but only two seconds later, when I prepare myself for my shot, does she suddenly start to moan. All of a sudden,”the Melbourne queen also complained about the time of the Niculescu sounds. And what’s more,”She changes the way she groans – depending on how she feels at the moment,”said Wozniacki, citing the rules:”It says that you can’t do that!”.
Speaking of moaning: The loudest finals in 2012 probably took place at the Australian Open, which is called “Happy Slam”. At that time, Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, the second siren, were facing each other in Melbourne Park. The newspapers Down Under wrote of the “Final of acoustic madness”. The specially installed “Stöhn-Oooo-Meter” of the Australian TV channel Channel Seven was able to measure values of 96.9 decibels at Sharapova, which also broke the 100-decibel sound barrier. A chainsaw is only slightly louder. According to experts, the inner ear can already be damaged at 85 decibels.
At that time, however, the tournament winner Azarenka was voted “First Lady of Screaming” (The Age) because of her shrill sounds. By the way, the Belarussian woman, who currently has to pause because of a custody dispute over her one-year-old son Leo, is privately very sensitive to noise:”Vika” cannot bear whistling in her house. Quit, please!
Michelle Larcher de Brito is the biggest moaner to date, with a record 109 decibels. But the Portuguese woman has finally become silent. The reason: Larcher de Brito is currently taking a creative break.