The Belgian pair have always appeared to get on well
Belgium's Kim Clijsters has accused her compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne of feigning injury to distract her opponents when tennis matches are going against her.
Henin-Hardenne won a battle between the pair in the final of last week's Acura Classic after taking a five-minute medical break on the grounds that she needed to change a bandage on her blistered foot.
Clijsters was leading at the time having taken the first set 6-3, but when play resumed Henin-Hardenne won four straight games and broke Clijsters' serve twice while losing just one point.
Henin-Hardenne went on to win the match in three sets.
Henin claims Acura title
"It's not the first time she has done this," said Clijsters. "I think she has probably had to do it in every one of our matches.
"It's a sign that she is not at her best and so she has to resort to other means to get out of scrapes.
"Looking at the way she was moving around the court afterwards she didn't look like she was in real pain."
But Henin-Hardenne insisted that her injury was very real.
"I had to change the bandage that was protecting the blister because it was rubbing.
"It's very easy for her to declare these kind of things but it had nothing to do with any mind games."
Earlier this year Serena Williams accused Henin-Hardenne of "lying and fabricating" after her actions in their heated French Open semi-final.
Williams accuses Henin
With the American a break up in the deciding set, Henin-Hardenne raised her hand indicating she was not ready to receive just as Williams was about to serve.
Williams was unable to halt her service action, and faulted, but claimed the point should be replayed.
The umpire said he had not seen the Belgian's signal, and Henin-Hardenne remained quiet.
Williams lost her serve and went on to lose the match, her first Grand Slam defeat for more than a year.
Belgium's Kim Clijsters has accused her compatriot Justine Henin-Hardenne of feigning injury to distract her opponents when tennis matches are going against her.
Henin-Hardenne won a battle between the pair in the final of last week's Acura Classic after taking a five-minute medical break on the grounds that she needed to change a bandage on her blistered foot.
Clijsters was leading at the time having taken the first set 6-3, but when play resumed Henin-Hardenne won four straight games and broke Clijsters' serve twice while losing just one point.
Henin-Hardenne went on to win the match in three sets.
Henin claims Acura title
"It's not the first time she has done this," said Clijsters. "I think she has probably had to do it in every one of our matches.
"It's a sign that she is not at her best and so she has to resort to other means to get out of scrapes.
"Looking at the way she was moving around the court afterwards she didn't look like she was in real pain."
But Henin-Hardenne insisted that her injury was very real.
"I had to change the bandage that was protecting the blister because it was rubbing.
"It's very easy for her to declare these kind of things but it had nothing to do with any mind games."
Earlier this year Serena Williams accused Henin-Hardenne of "lying and fabricating" after her actions in their heated French Open semi-final.
Williams accuses Henin
With the American a break up in the deciding set, Henin-Hardenne raised her hand indicating she was not ready to receive just as Williams was about to serve.
Williams was unable to halt her service action, and faulted, but claimed the point should be replayed.
The umpire said he had not seen the Belgian's signal, and Henin-Hardenne remained quiet.
Williams lost her serve and went on to lose the match, her first Grand Slam defeat for more than a year.
