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BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

October 29, 2017

Caroline Wozniacki

Kallang, Singapore

C. WOZNIACKI/V. Williams

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations. When Venus started fighting back, what was going through your mind at that point?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I kind of felt like it was a little bit of an uphill battle, to be honest. I knew she was stepping it up, she had nothing to lose at that point, and she really went for it. Things were going in for her.

She started mixing up the serve a little bit more. I kind of, yeah, felt I had to try and stay aggressive. But at the same time, you know, I just have to hope that it's going to go my way now. And obviously the crowd was starting to get into it and rooting her on obviously because they wanted a longer match.

I just had to keep reminding myself that I'm still up and I'm the one who is leading here, and I'm the one who can close out this match right now.

Q. I assume this is the biggest title of your career in your mind. What does that feel like to win, like, one of the best five of the year?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It feels great. You know, going into the tournament, you know that it's going to be a tough one, regardless. You may leave the tournament being 0-3 at the end of the year, but you hope for the best and you hope that you can play your best tennis. I'm really proud of how I have played all week and how I have fought and how I really produced some great fighting out there.

To be here with the trophy means a lot, and it's a great way to finish off the year.

Q. Different people have said different things about your career, whether you were ranked No. 1 or outside of top 50. With this title, do you feel that it helps you get the affirmation that people might not have given you before, or do you feel you have proven a point?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Honestly, I don't know, and I don't really care, to be honest. I know I have done well and I have had a great career.

I'm proud of my achievements, and I'm proud of being able to just, you know, fight my way from a little kid to all of a sudden being one of the best tennis players in the world. Very few people can say that, and I'm proud of that.

Q. How big do you think this win might be in terms of just your confidence in terms of how you'll feel during the offseason? And do you wish in a strange way that the Australian Open was, like, in two weeks so you could keep up the momentum?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No (smiling). I'm very happy the season is finished right now. I will finish on a high. Just go on vacation and enjoying myself and rest. It's been a long year. It's been a great year.

Eventually we have to draw a line in the sand and, you know, say it's been a great one. You know, in a month's time, I will start preparing for the next season, but for now I will not be touching a racquet for the next four weeks, and I will just be doing a little bit of fitness to keep my shape up.

Q. Just into the first set it was a very high quality first set until the very end, from the first ball, really. Did you get that sense when you were out there? And was it just really a matter of her buckling in that final game, forehand, or what did you find was successful in that first set that gave you confidence to think that you can get this one over?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I honestly think I served and I returned pretty well. I think I got a lot of her serves back, and obviously she has a big first serve, but at the same time, I tried to keep pressure on her and tried to take a little bit of time away and stay a little bit closer to the baseline.

She does great angles. When you play against her, she manages to put the ball very close to the line and with an angle you don't really get from any other player, so it catches you a little bit offguard and then she opens up the other side of the court.

It's important for me to try and cut the angles and try and take the ball on the rise, and I think I did that pretty well.

Q. At one point during the second set you spoke to the chair umpire, I think, about the crowd. Did you worry or did you think that Venus might be getting in your head at that point?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No. I think, you know, it's one thing if someone is supporting, but it's another thing when they start supporting during the point and are being unsportsmanlike.

That's why I walked up to the chair umpire and said to pay attention to the spectators or the spectator that was doing that.

But, you know, obviously Venus is a great champion, just like her sister, and I have so much respect for her. I knew that she was never going to give up, and I knew she was going to come back fighting strong. For me, it was just important to try and keep my head down and just focus on myself and what I needed to do and try and forget who is on the other side of the net.

Q. Going through the stats, you were topping the list for pretty much from start of the tournament to the end. What element of your game are you the most happy with having developed over the last few years?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I served pretty well most of the tournament. I think that I moved really well. I think I went from offense to defense really well. I think I -- I just felt good out there. I felt very calm for a lot of the time. Not by the end of today, but, you know, other than that, I felt pretty good about my game in general. I was just enjoying to play out there.

Q. It felt that you really stepped up your aggression on the court. Do you feel that's an area you developed over the last year or so?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. I think -- I don't really think about it too much, to be honest. You work on so many things during the year and during the offseason and over the years, and, yeah, I just played really well this week. I'm happy with that.

I think I managed to stay aggressive. Even when I was playing against the big hitters, I still managed to not be pushed too far behind the baseline, which was key this week.

Q. Just out of curiosity is there a reason why 8 is your lucky number?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: There is a few reasons. One of them is that if you turn it around, it's the infinity sign. I kind of like that. I think it's cool.

Q. With your performances this week and the trophy, do you feel that you're back to your best form in your career?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I think I played really well this week. I think I played great tennis, and I'm proud of being here as the winner of the tournament.

Q. How do you plan to celebrate your win? I think this is David's first time in Singapore?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It is. I'm planning on relaxing a little bit. And I don't know. Probably not do too much tonight. I have a flight tomorrow night but probably do some shopping tomorrow. That's on the list. Enjoy the pool and some good food. Then I'm going to go on vacation and relax and just have the best time.

Q. You played some of your best tennis in Singapore. The last time you were here you played very well, and then there were the struggles with injury. I'm curious if you feel like this is the level of tennis you would have played had you not gotten hurt or you almost needed that time to give you extra perspective and maybe make some improvements?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. I think everything happens for a reason. I think the break from tennis for me was great. I really enjoyed being home and just doing normal stuff, and not being able to hit a ball actually felt nice.

Yeah, once I got back, I just took my time and made sure that I was properly healed, the body was fine. And when I felt ready, I came back and I was enjoying to play out there. I strongly believe everything happens for a reason, and maybe I wouldn't be here if that wouldn't have happened.

Q. You're world No. 3 now after a very consistent year. Do you feel now that you're well set up to go on next year and try and win that first Grand Slam title?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I'll definitely try. You know, I get this question all the time, but I just want to enjoy this tournament. Can we just enjoy this without talking about the future? I just want to be happy I won this one, and then that's it (smiling).

In January we can talk about Australian Open and everything else that's coming up. Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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