TENNIS WTA CINCINNATI – 16th of August 2014. S. Williams d. C. Wozniacki 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. An interview with Caroline Wozniacki
Q. Tough loss today. How do you feel about your preparation for the Open?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I’m well prepared for the Open. I’ve gotten a lot of matches these last few weeks. In general I’m very pleased about the way I’ve played.
I’m excited for the US Open coming up.
Q. Are you playing New Haven?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I’m going to play there.
Q. She was able to break you eight out of nine times. Was she able to get a better read compared to last week?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I just didn’t serve well today. Didn’t get many first serves in. When I did, they weren’t placed very well. It’s frustrating, because you lose a set 6 4 in the third and you only hold serve once.
I actually broke Serena three times in the set. I don’t think that happens very often to her either.
So, you know, you feel like you’re there and my all game was there. I was fighting. I was running. I was trying to take the ball early. I was returning well.
Then my serve comes around and I can’t seem to hold serve. It’s frustrating thing when you’re out there on the court.
Q. What were some things that your dad was talking to you about during the coaching session that kind of got you to where you could get to 6 4 in the third?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, he just tried to give me a few pointers on the serve, things to remember. Kind of kept telling me that I need to stay aggressive. I need to stay closer to the baseline.
That was really it.
Q. What were you pleased with with what you did today?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I was very pleased with the way I was fighting. My returns worked good. Got a lot of returns back and deep.
I was pleased in general about my game. The only thing I wasn’t pleased about was my serving.
Q. Do you feel more clarity on court now? I know there were times you were trying to be more aggressive and didn’t seem to have as clear a game plan as maybe the last couple weeks.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I feel good. I know what I want to do out there and I know what brings me success. That’s kind of what I want to keep doing.
Q. You mentioned some specific things that Serena is very good at. Does that mean that your preparation for matches with her is any different?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No. I have a game plan out there that I want to play. I want to make her play my game and she wants me to play her game, so that’s how it is.
But it’s not different. I know that I’m up against a great opponent and player, so I know it’s not going to be easy.
Usually I know that if I break her once that’s great. Today I broke her quite a few times and still that didn’t help me. (Smiling.)
Q. When you talk about just having a substandard serving day, do you mean percentage? Power? Placement? What exactly does that mean to you?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Little bit of both. You know, the percentage was lower and I think I didn’t place it as well as I have in the previous matches and in Montréal. You know, I got a lot of great serves in, put her into defense straightaway, and today I didn’t manage to do that.
You know, I knew that she was going to be aggressive on my first serve. That puts a bit more pressure on sorry, on my second serve. That put a bit more pressure on my first serve. I was serving pretty well, as I said, in the beginning, but then I kind of just lost a little bit of timing. Then trying to work my way back in, it’s hard, you know.
Q. So aside from the disappointment in your serving today, you were happy with the other aspects of your game today?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I think I can be happy. I ran a lot of balls down and made her play that extra ball and was aggressive when I could and tried to move forward and mix the pace up a bit. I felt comfortable out there. Felt pretty good.
It’s a positive sign going into the US Open.
