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Wozniacki slams 'rude' umpire after Bertens win

Wozniacki slams 'rude' umpire after Bertens win

Wozniacki slams 'rude' umpire after Bertens win

Caroline Wozniacki slammed chair umpire Renaud Lichtenstein as rude after arguing with him during her Australian Open third-round win over Kiki Bertens. 

Wozniacki eased into the fourth round of the opening grand slam of the year with a 6-4 6-3 victory on Friday.

But she was infuriated by Lichtenstein as she served for the match as a line call went against her, allowing Bertens to save a first match point, the Dane then slamming her racquet in frustration as a second went begging.

A third was also spurned but Wozniacki, who also clashed with the umpire over supposed slippery conditions on court, eventually wrapped things up, setting up a meeting with Magdalena Rybarikova on Sunday.

Asked about Lichtenstein, Wozniacki told reporters: "I don't know. I've never had this guy before, I think. Maybe I just don't remember. But I think he did a poor job. 

"If the court is wet, I think it's normal to ask for a towel. I don't think someone needs to be rude, and I told him so. I think there were some questionable calls, as well.

"Obviously on the first match point, it was out. He should have seen that, as well. I don't know. I think there's a way he can be strict but not rude, if that makes sense. I just think he was being rude.

"I told him so after the match, that the court was actually really slippery. It really shouldn't be that big of a problem just to clean it."

Wozniacki saved two match points in her second-round match with Jana Fett and, with a more routine win under her belt, the former world number one is putting that struggle behind her.

"It was definitely a little bit easier today than it was the other day," she added. "I'm going to take it and move forward and just call it a day."