Busted Racquet - Tennis

Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, a tale of great sportsmanship has instead turned into an investigation of gambling, match-fixing and tennis integrity.

Caroline Wozniacki, a 19-year-old Dane ranked sixth in the world, retired from the first-round match at the Luxembourg Open with a hamstring injury on Wednesday while leading Anne Kremer of Luxembourg 7-5, 5-0.

Wozniacki's father, Piotr, told his daughter at 3-0 in the second set to retire before winning because her injury would prevent her from playing in the next round. His comments, apparently spoken in his native Polish, were picked up by microphones and heard by viewers watching the match on the Internet ...

... The father's comments during the match led to a surge in online bets for Kremer to win.

Wozniacki did a tremendous thing for Kremer by allowing her to advance to the second round in front of her hometown fans. As she explained:

I could possibly have finished the match, but felt there was no way I could get ready for the second round on Thursday, so I chose the sporting way and let her go through. She's also [playing] at home.

For her selfless actions, Wozniacki has earned an investigation from the Tennis Integrity Unit. Because there were a number of bets made after her father's comments were picked up by the microphones, the WTA became concerned that there was something nefarious about Wozniacki's retirement.

The British gambling exchange site Betfair, which allows clients to make mid-match wagers, says it did not have any concerns about the match.

First of all, if Wozniacki was going to fix the match, there are dozens of more effective and less obvious ways to do it rather than retiring up 5-0 in the second set. That'd be like if Tim Donaghy tripped opposing players in the NBA games he bet on.

This also seems like the WTA's way of covering itself for having live microphones in coaching huddles. From the way this story was reported, the bets in question didn't go through until after Piotr Wozniacki's comments were aired live on the Internet. Why not just cut those mics?

In all likelihood, Caroline Wozniacki will be cleared of any wrongdoing, but it's still disappointing that she's set to be investigated for integrity after a gesture which showed how much of it she really has.

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1244 Comments

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  1. Mr. A-Jo
    1. Posted by Mr. A-Jo Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:09 pm EDT

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    I agree one hundred percent. There are much more important things wrong with the WTA (ranking system, generic talent) that need to be fixed.
    You finally get a player who comes along who is not generic, plays with tenacity, inteligence, and nerve, and they investigate her.
  2. schwinn444
    2. Posted by schwinn444 Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:13 pm EDT

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    Get over it WTA. maybe they souldn't mic up the coaches.
  3. giants!
    3. Posted by giants! Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:15 pm EDT

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    She was just being a good sport and it somehow turned into this????? WTA, shame on you.
  4. Julie
    4. Posted by Julie Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:16 pm EDT

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    #3
  5. Hay-Hay Woo!
    5. Posted by Hay-Hay Woo! Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:17 pm EDT

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    aw, cmon!!!!!!!!!
  6. yenvancy
    6. Posted by yenvancy Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:17 pm EDT

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    Stupid to have a live mic on the coach. WTA's fault.
  7. poop is yummy
    7. Posted by poop is yummy Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    and go wozniacki
  8. Becky
    8. Posted by Becky Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    my goodness. picky picky people.
  9. Jeremy
    9. Posted by Jeremy Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    Seems to be a very class thing she did. Hopefully the investigation will be completed quickly and she can get on with competing once her injury heals.
  10. poop is yummy
    10. Posted by poop is yummy Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    wow i love commenting
  11. Lew Ghost
    11. Posted by Lew Ghost Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    this is so dumb, poor girl
  12. iamme
    12. Posted by iamme Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    wta ison crack moved the dam mic if you dont want to hear what being said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  13. zoner_90803
    13. Posted by zoner_90803 Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:21 pm EDT

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    Obviously a WTA tactic to divert attention from all of the underhanded things that the WTA does.
  14. zoner_90803
    14. Posted by zoner_90803 Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:21 pm EDT

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    Obviously a WTA tactic to divert attention from all of the underhanded things that the WTA does.
  15. Your biological father
    15. Posted by Your biological father Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:21 pm EDT

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    #5 yeah!!!
  16. Andy
    16. Posted by Andy Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:22 pm EDT

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    Sad that being a good sportsman ruins peoples gambling. Maybe people just shouldn't gamble!
  17. Your biological father
    17. Posted by Your biological father Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:22 pm EDT

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    #22 yeah!!!
  18. Andy
    18. Posted by Andy Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:22 pm EDT

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    Sad that being a good sportsman ruins peoples gambling. Maybe people just should not gamble!
  19. Your biological father
    19. Posted by Your biological father Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:22 pm EDT

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    #27 yeah!!!
  20. daniel r
    20. Posted by daniel r Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    That's why mid-match bets are fair, because you make them with more info than you had before the match started.
  21. Ren C
    21. Posted by Ren C Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    i think this tennis player and her family need to take a page out of Herm Edwards book; YOU PLAY ...TO WIN THE GAME. YOU PLAY...............TO...WIN...THE GAME! Unfortunately she has compromised the competitive nature of sports here, which is disgusting.
  22. DavidT
    22. Posted by DavidT Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    Oh my God, it's the end of the world........
  23. Adam Bomb
    23. Posted by Adam Bomb Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    1) Bets on matches with retirements should be disqualified.
    2) There should be no during-match betting.
  24. LOLLY
    24. Posted by LOLLY Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    And they wonder what's wrong with the world... Way to go WTA you idoiots!
  25. jlmccoskey
    25. Posted by jlmccoskey Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    throw her ass in jail

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Busted Racquet is a tennis blog edited by Chris Chase. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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