TENNIS WTA MONTREAL – 8th of August 2014. S. Williams d. C. Wozniacki 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. An interview with Caroline Wozniacki
Q. How satisfied are you with your week overall despite the loss today?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: In general I’m very satisfied about the week. I’ve been playing some good tennis and I can take a lot of positives with me from this week. You know, obviously losing 7-5 in the third always sucks. You know, it’s kind of mixed feelings right now. But I gave it my all out there today, and that’s all I could ask from myself. Again, loads of positives to take with me from this week.
Q. You came out in the first set, served well, your backhand was on fire, then the match got closer. Small margins decided that match. What made the difference out there?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It was really small things that did it out there today. You know, she came up with quite a few big serves when she needed to. I don’t know how many aces she had, but definitely quite a few. Yeah, again, it could have gone both ways. I had a break in the second set. Didn’t manage to hold on. Yeah, she won in the end. But, you know, again, I gave it everything I had. It just wasn’t quite enough today.
Q. You were young when Serena and Venus started to play. You’re 10 years younger than them. How do you think they’ve changed tennis over the years, the style of play, the scheduling, the impact they had?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, definitely when Serena and Venus came in, they started hitting the ball harder. There was more power. They were taking the ball earlier. That definitely changed the game. I think it’s great because women’s tennis now has become much better, you know, more physical. It’s a totally different game than from before them.
Q. I’m not sure how much time you spend with Serena off the court. How do you think she deals with the ups and downs of her tennis as a person?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think that’s a question you should ask her.
Q. You’re her friend. You might know.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I don’t think that’s my place to say all those things. To be honest, I think media always exaggerate things. I mean, she’s No. 1 in the world. She must be doing something right. Obviously she hasn’t won a Grand Slam this year. But, I mean, she’s won 17. She’s doing all right for herself. I’m sure that she’s going to win another one. I don’t have a doubt in my mind that she is. Again, it’s sports. Every athlete goes through ups and downs in their careers. Now I’m talking about in general, not just Serena. Everyone has amazing times. They feel like they can’t lose. And then there’s times when they know they’re struggling a little bit, they need to work harder. It’s normal. A top athlete, small things can make a big difference. It’s not easy to stay on top of your game all the time.