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DONGFENG MOTOR WUHAN OPEN

September 27, 2016

Caroline Wozniacki

Wuhan, Hubei, China

C. WOZNIACKI/K. Siniakova

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The first half of this year you suffered from some injuries. After the US Open your performance is quite strong. What are your plans or expectations for the Asian swing?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I'm just happy to be playing well. I'm happy that I've found my form after having been injured. I just keep grinding and hopefully, you know, I can do well for the rest of the year.

Q. You defeated Aga in Tokyo. Do you have any preparations for your match with Aga?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, we're going to play tomorrow night. I'm sure it's going to be a long match again, at least long rallies. It's going to be tough, but I'm looking forward to it.

Q. After the US Open you've had a good performance in Asia, including the championship in Tokyo. Now you have two victories in the Wuhan Open. What are your expectations?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I'm just going to do the best that I can, play up to my ability. That's really it. I was happy to win the title last week. Obviously it's a lot of matches in a row, but I just keep going and keep fighting out there.

Q. The match today felt like a bit of a tug of war. Talk about how it went for you.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It was tough to play out there because there was quite a bit of wind. Also there was quite a bit of music playing around. It was much different than playing on center court.

She also played well. She was playing aggressively. You know, I just tried to stay calm and just kind of go with it.

Q. Is there any tricky element to beating someone one week, then facing them right away? Do you feel like she has done her homework and will try to do something differently?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't think so. I mean, we know each other so well. We've known each other for 15 years or something, so I'm pretty sure we know each other's game by now. If we don't, then we have a problem. I think we know what to expect. It's just who can execute best tomorrow.

Q. Do you see a moment in the past couple of months, practice sessions, a match, a set, where you felt your game was clicking back to what it was last year?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: To be honest, it's been clicking for me probably for about a month and a half now. Even before the US Open, for about a month, I felt really good during practice. It just took me a little bit to get that out when I was playing matches.

Obviously also I still got like small injuries here and there. Like in Washington it kind of set me back with the arm. Again I had to come back. It's just kind of frustrating.

It clicked for me at the US Open and I'm happy that it's clicking for me now. I'm just trying to keep pushing through.

Q. Is it because you are finally 100% healthy or have you changed things in your approach?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: To be honest, it's all about being healthy for me. When I'm healthy, I enjoy much more to practice and I know I can improve and do better. When I'm healthy, I know I can run a lot of balls down, I can play aggressively, I can do a lot more things.

Main thing for me is to stay healthy and then everything else comes with it.

Q. How different are the conditions here compared to Tokyo?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Oh, it's completely different. Tokyo, the balls are very heavy. It's a very fast court. It bounces very low. We kind of played indoors most of the tournament.

Here the ball bounces very high. The ball flies a bit more. There's a bit more life to the ball. Yeah, it's definitely different.

Actually, yesterday I was so surprised that I managed to play so well considering how different it was. Actually, I just said, Keep going, don't think about it, just go with it. I managed to play really well in two sets.

Q. Is the trouble controlling the ball? Is that the biggest adjustment?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think so. I think the control of the ball is completely different. In Tokyo you just really had to hit it so hard every time. Here you just have to use your hands.

Also I think it's helped me that I've played at night because there's a little bit more control, it's a little bit slower. So that has been very nice.

Q. Obviously it's not easy to adjust week in, week out, when the balls and conditions change. Do you think if it was all the same, it would be boring?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: If I could choose, I would choose the US Open court and the US Open balls every week. I wouldn't find that boring at all (smiling). But I guess, you know, it's about obviously sponsor-wise, about you how the tournament wants the tennis to be played.

I think for a lot of fans and a lot of spectators, they don't realize how big an impact both those things can have. But it makes a huge difference to us as players. Small things with the ball or tweaks can make a huge difference in the game.

Q. I'm sure you're always really focused on the court. Has it ever happened to you that you got distracted by your opponent's kit, what they're wearing?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No, I don't think so.

Q. Hers today was very out there, the patterns.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, no, I don't think so. I think you make an opinion when you see them walk out on court. You kind of have an opinion if you like it or not. Once you play, you kind of focus on other things.

Q. Kvitova is in the process to find another coach after a few trials. You've tried different people. Do you know why it seems difficult for top female players to find someone who is going to stay a few months or even years?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think for me, I realized that my best combination for me is just having my dad as my coach. He's coached me since I was seven years old when I started. There's no reason for me now to ever have to change again.

The only reason I did that was because my dad wanted to stay at home more and kind of relax. But I think we got to a mutual understanding now.

I think it's very hard because I think you spend so much time with a coach, you have to have really also just a chemistry because it's a lot. If you spend so many hours every day, if you don't get along off the court, you're going to get annoyed on the court. Sometimes it can even be a great coach, but maybe not for you. They fit better to a different playing style. There's a lot of things that go into it and it's not easy.

Q. You talked a lot about adjustments. What kind of adjustments do the players have to make when you approach the Asian part of the season?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I mean, if you're playing well, you just go with it and don't make any adjustments. You just kind of feel it and you play. So I think it really depends what kind of form you're in and how you're feeling.

It's all about coming out here, there's a lot of points, a lot of money at stake. It's just all about doing your best and playing your best level.

FABRICE CHOUQUET: Today at the Wuhan Open was a special day for you, Caroline, so many matches in a row. Today was your 500th win as a professional tennis player. We would like to present you with the 500 flowers for this commitment, and, of course, congratulate you on behalf of myself and Mr. Zhu and the Wuhan Open.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Thank you so much.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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