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Monday June 20 , 2011 |
Caroline Wozniacki's interview before the start of Wimbledon 2011 By LadyDragon LONDON.--(LadyDragon.com)20/06/11--Q. You're seeded No. 1 obviously. Is that a nice thing? Says you must be pretty good. Is that extra pressure? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No, it's a nice thing. I enjoy it. I think all the girls would like to be in my position and be ranked No. 1 in the world. I've had a good year and won five tournaments so far this year. I enjoy this position. It's always nice to get to play on the big courts and in front of the big crowd, which is something that you always want to and something you aim for when you practice. Q. You were a junior champion here. What do you think about the main tournament? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, definitely it brings back good memories, winning the junior title in 2006. I really enjoy playing on the grass, so I'm happy to be playing in the main one now. You know, I'm going to do my best, and we have to see how far I can go. Q. What was lost by not having Serena and Venus on the circuit for the last year? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I don't know. I think, first of all, Serena and Venus are great girls. I have a good relationship with them. You know, it's always good to have a good laugh in the locker room. Of course you don't wish anyone to be injured or hurt, so obviously you want them back and healthy, which is the most important thing. And, you know, I think I read somewhere that in the last 11 years a Williams or the Williamses have won nine times. It just says something about, you know, first of all how great champions they are, but also how well they're playing on grass. I'm happy to see them back, and first of all healthy again. Q. If Serena or Venus were to do very well here after such a long layoff, what sort of statement do you think that would make about them and about the tour? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I don't know. First of all, we have to see how they do. Second of all, grass is a little bit different surface than everything else. Here it's important to serve and return well. We all know that the game of the girls is perfectly suited for the grass, as well. Obviously no one wants to play them. It's good that they got a higher seed, you know, than their rankings, because no one wants to play them in the early rounds because they obviously have the experience and play really well, especially on grass. Q. You've come here very confident, but you haven't got too far in this championship so far. Is that something that preys on you a bit, that this is the year where it's got to change? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: To be honest, no. I just go in there and I play, and I don't have to see how everything goes. I know I can play really well on grass. I've won Eastbourne before; I won the junior title. I know that I can play really good tennis. At the same time, on grass it can be small things that decide a match, and also the serve and the returns are key points at this point. So it's important just to focus and just enjoy it. Q. What do you think Li Na's major championship and progress in general means to women's tennis around the world, and also to China, if you have a sense of that? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I was real happy for Li Na that she won the title, the French Open title. She's one of my good friends. We always talk a lot, both on and off the court. We practice together. You know, if I couldn't win it, then, you know, she's one of the girls that I like to see do well. And, you know, I think it's great for women's tennis. I think China's a huge market. So many people there. I think it was 60 million people watching in China. Q. 116. CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, close (laughter). I mean, it's a lot of people. It's good for the tennis, and I'm sure that a lot of young girls and boys in China now also wants to play tennis because they want to play like Li Na. I think it's great for the tennis that we can have it even bigger as a sport than it is now. Q. You mentioned your friendship with her. How would you describe her for the people who are just getting to know her game and her personality? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, her personality is very funny. She always comes up with small jokes and always makes you laugh. She's a bit shy to people maybe she doesn't know, but once you get to know her, she's a great girl. Yeah, I like to spend time with her. And on court, always working 100%. If you practice with her, you know every time it will be a good practice because, you know, she gives 100%. Q. Maybe hard to look beyond three or four men to win, but the women, pretty wide open? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think there's quite a few girls that can take the title. Again, grass is a bit different surface, so it's all about who serves well and returns well at the key moments. Q. What was your reaction when you heard that Isner and Mahut were rematched after last year's match? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I started laughing a little bit, because I remember last year I was playing doubles here, and I remember I turned on the TV when it was 21-21 in the fifth set. I go, Oh, okay, let's keep it here in the locker room and just have a look before my doubles. When I went on to play, it was 28-28. Then I went to play, and when I came back they were still playing. I was like, I just played two sets doubles and I came back and they're still playing. It's ridiculous. You know, hopefully I hope for them that the match will be a little bit shorter this year. Q. What do you think of the quality of the match we're going to see now, and what sort of pressure is there on them? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, to be honest, I don't think it will be such a long match as it was last year. I think it will be a lot of serves. And, well, they both serve really well, so probably it will be short points, but about who will break who first. Q. Did your title in Copenhagen give you extra confidence? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I have a lot of confidence for my game. I know that I can play really well, that I'm a good player, especially playing on hard court. You know, it was nice to be back and feel my feet on the ground. To play in front of the home crowd, so much attention just on me for that tournament, it was nice to play well there and win the tournament. Q. Are we going to see the Gerrard shirt at Wimbledon? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I'm not allowed to. It's red. Q. You can't anywhere? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, on Aorangi I would be able to, but, you know, I can't practice on-site or play warmup in it. Q. Did you ask the question? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, well, rules are rules. At Wimbledon it's white, so... Q. The new away kit is white for Liverpool. CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, but I haven't gotten that yet. Q. That's your answer, isn't it? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: True. Good point. Q. You mentioned earlier you have a nice relationship with the Williams sisters. What was it like this last year as Serena was not just injured but quite ill to keep up with what was going on with her? How were you feeling about what she was going through? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, of course you don't feel great when you see someone is hurt or sick like she was. You know, it's life, and I just wanted to wish her all the best. I went to visit her when I was in L.A. just to see how she was doing. But like Serena, always in a good mood, and always you never really feel on her that she's not feeling great. You know, so, I was just happy to see her. I'm very happy that she's doing well again. And, you know, I don't wish for anyone to be in that situation because, I mean, it's scary. I'm just happy that, you know, she's past that and she can be back healthy and back on court. Q. How bad were things for her? What sense did you have of how bad things really good? CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I think it's up to her to tell. But I think that when I came and saw her she was fine. You know, she was in good mood, singing karaoke, having a good time. |
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