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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2017

Caroline Wozniacki

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

C. WOZNIACKI/D. Vekic

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Through the first two rounds. How do you feel you're hitting the ball, both on the practice court and on the match court?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I feel pretty good. I have been hitting it pretty good in practice. Patches of my matches have been really good.

I thought I started off pretty well today. In the end, maybe a little bit too passive. But generally, I think it was steady and played pretty decent.

Q. Things seemed to have picked up, like, the latter half of last year for you. You seemed to be steadily moving back up the ladder. That must feel pretty good?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I feel, you know, I feel really good body-wise and mentally, which is huge for me.

Yeah, the results have come after that, which is nice. I played really well at the end of last year. Probably some of the best tennis I have ever played, so that was great.

You know, I'm just, you know, trying to find my footing this year. I feel like I have been playing some good tennis, and I'm feeling confident and good about this year.

Q. In Sydney, I think you were saying you changed up your preseason a little bit, maybe weren't hitting the gym as hard because of all the injuries and stuff.
So, like, in tournament mode, how has the recovery mode changed for you?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Now I have a full-time physio with me all the time, which has really helped me. I get treatment every day, just to keep on top of my body and help me recover, and it's really helped me a lot.

I think that's actually the main thing for me right now is just to always do my best and make sure that my body is fit and healthy, because when it is, then, you know -- obviously I lose a match here and there, but generally I give myself the best chance to win the matches and the tournaments I play.

Q. Did you not travel with a physio before?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I did on and off, and I was using a lot of the physios on the tour, which are also very good physios, but it's just when you have someone personally for you, obviously it's always better and I can get treatment, you know, at home. Whereas here, you're like, Okay, I'll just get a flash. I'm feeling pretty good, but let's do it quick so I can go back.

Now, you're okay, you're thorough, you do everything correctly, which is great.

Q. Talk a little bit about your team besides the physio. Your dad? Who is with you?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah. It's very small.

Q. You have a small team?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I like to keep it small. You know, I don't like to travel with a huge entourage. I like to have my family there and just, you know, the key players. The physio is one of the keys for me.

Q. Why is that? It seems like with every day everybody's team is just growing and growing and growing.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah. I think I like to keep it small. I'm very -- as much as I'm very social, I'm also very antisocial, if that makes sense.

So, like, you know, when I'm playing tournaments and when I'm here, for example, after here I'll go eat something and obviously talk to everybody.

But then once I get back, I just lay there, watch some tennis on TV, watch a movie, read a book, don't really do much. I like it calm, and I like to have the people next to me being really close.

Q. You have had some periods when you have had somebody beside your father. You seem to always keep going back there. What's the draw?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I'm done trying new things. I know this is working for me. Obviously, you know, I think it proved again the end of last year. Just working with my dad has been great.

The reason why I was also looking for someone else was because my dad didn't want to travel so much, which is understandable. But it's like, Well, I'm not going to play forever. You have been there from the start. Can you just be there till the finish?

So far, so good.

Q. In my country, as you know, we are going through a big change politically with the presidency. Things are happening in your country, too. What's going on with the royalty there? Is the queen stepping down? Can you walk us through that? Do you know about that situation?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I haven't heard about the queen stepping down. Is that news today? No? Okay.

Well, she's getting older, obviously, but as far as I know, she's still there. The crown prince, I think, is ready to take over whenever his mom wants to step down. I think he'll be a great king one day. He's very sporty, very interested in cultural events, as well. I think that's -- that will be great, as well.

Q. Does the crown prince have any extra time? Could he come over to our country and help us?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, his wife is Australian, but in America, I don't know. I mean, he travels a lot. I don't know. That's not a question for me, I guess.

He comes to Wimbledon almost every year. I guess he does travel, and he likes tennis.

Q. I know you have a place in Monaco and I think in New York. Is that like the extent of it? How do you divide your off-time and stuff?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I just --you know, my main base is Monaco, and that's, you know, where I live most of the time.

But it's great to have a base in America for me, because we play quite a few tournaments over there in the States. Also, in the offseason, I like to be there.

You know, I train in Miami quite a bit in November/December. So it's great for me with the weather; whereas Monaco can be a little bit rainier or a little colder. So as far as weather, I prefer to be in Miami.

Q. So you have a place in Miami, too? And New York?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I do. Yeah, I just -- it's nice to have those bases and feel at home.

Q. I know as somebody who has been around obviously quite a long time, how difficult is it to do what Jo Konta, your next opponent, has done in terms of this very rapid rise up the ranking? Has it kind of surprised you how quickly it happened?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know if it's quick. I mean, she's been around for years, you know, trying to break through. She's always had the game.

I think she had a great last year, and, you know, yeah, it's nice to see.

But if it's quick or not, I don't know. I think if you ask her, she'll say it's been a long, you know, hard ride. It's paying off for her now, which is great.

Q. You're very active on social media. Do you see that as part of your job to promote yourself and the sport, or do you it because you enjoy it?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think a bit of both. I think it's great for the fans, as well, and to be able to keep up with you and see what you're doing. I think as a youngster I would have loved to have followed my idols in that way. But also, you know, for the sponsors and everything, I think it's important, as well.

So I think it's a bit of both.

Q. It's a balancing act between what you decide to put out there in public and what you want to keep private, as well?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Oh, for sure. I mean, I have definitely learned over the years.

You know, there is a lot of the really private stuff you just don't put out there, and, you know, you also want to keep that to yourself.

Q. Have you given a lot of thought to the fact that, gee, I used to be No. 1 for quite a while, or is that something you just live in the here and now?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: You know, I don't really think about it, to be honest. There is once in a while when you're like -- Andy became No. 1, and you're, like, That's cool. You're like, Actually, I was No. 1. I was, like, That's pretty cool, too. Oh, yeah.

So that's when you kind of go through it, and you realize it's not easy, and there are so many great players out there fighting for that one spot and very few people have ever done it.

I think, to be honest, I think once you're done playing and you sit down and kind of can reflect, I think that's when it really hits you, what you have achieved, because right now, every day you go out there and it's a grind. You try and work as hard as you can to be better.

You're never 100% satisfied. You always want to do better, be better, play better, have better results.

I think until you're done, that's not gonna change. I think I have a team around me, and my parents are very good at sometimes just telling me, Okay, you're doing well. Just enjoy it for a second here.

Q. Back to social media and that sphere, if you could get a selfie photo with anyone outside your family, outside of tennis, who would you like to get a selfie with?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I already got that question the other day, and I said Fernando Torres and Jake Gyllenhaal. For two different reasons. But I would say I think Jake Gyllenhaal is very good-looking (smiling). And then I think Fernando Torres. I have always been a big Liverpool fan. Since I already have a photo with Gerrard, I thought Fernando Torres would be my next pick.

Q. I don't know how much you have watched of Konta recently, but what do you make of her game? It could be quite a contrasting match?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: She plays really well. You know, big forehand, big serve. But I'm ready. I'm playing well. I'm excited for the challenge.

She's obviously won last week in Sydney. She had a good last year. I'm here to fight. I'm here to do my best, and try and win the match.

Q. (Question about being in the third round.)
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, but, I mean, at the end of the day, doesn't matter who is on the other side. I'm going to try and win. If you want to win the tournament, you need to beat great players along the way. Whether it's in the third round or the semis, whatever it is, you need to get through them.

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