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NATURE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL

June 25, 2018

Caroline Wozniacki

Eastbourne, England

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did it feel out there? Tricky opponent, likes to hit the ball?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, definitely tricky opponent. She started off well. I didn't get a first serve in on my first service game, and I was kind of in trouble. Was lucky to break her back to that 2-1 game, and then I kind of found my way into the match and started playing I thought some good tennis.

You know, happy with the win and happy to get my first match on grass in.

Q. You said on the clay that it's a mental thing, the biggest challenge of clay in terms of the adjustment. On grass is it similar? Less so? Do you feel it's more natural for you? What's the adjustment on grass?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, it's so easy for me to come on grass. It's kind of a relief, you know (smiling) to be off the clay and on to the grass and then the hard court comes in.

I'm happy to be on this surface. Happy to be playing here. I think it also helps, you know, the Stadium Court here is so nice and so cozy and to have the crowd so close, it feels great. It feels very at home.

Q. What are your feelings going into the next round?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know who I'm playing. Does anyone know my next opponent?

Q. It could potentially be Jo Konta.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: If she wins; is that right?

Q. If she wins.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, either way, it's going to be another tough match and another good one. I'm just happy to get myself tested on the grass this week, and this one was a great test for me, a great one leading up to Wimbledon.

Regardless if Jo wins or not, it's going to be another tough one, you know. I know Jo loves to play on the grass. It's going to be fun and challenging. That's what I'm here for.

Q. Karolina was in here earlier sort of talking about trying to get over the line with a first Grand Slam, something you know a little bit about. You no longer have to answer those questions. Are you sailing week to week these days just thinking, I'm enjoying this, it's good, I can just play? Or are you back to...
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think a combination of both. I think the fact that I have been on tour for so many years and the fact that, you know, I obviously reached No. 1 very quickly in my career or somewhat quickly, every year it was kind of, you know, gradual step up in the right direction. And then I reached No. 1 at age 20, 19 or 20.

And I think, you know, you get there and you realize that nothing changes. You still have to grind it out every single day and every single week. You know, there is pressure on you to win everything.

But, you know, it took me a while to get that first Grand Slam, and I think for me, you know, just to know that I have that, you know, even if I stop my career tomorrow or whatever it is, you know, it just feels great to basically have a complete rÃ©sumÃ©.

I think that gave me kind of a more relaxed approach. But at the same time, you know, you're a competitor and you want to win everything and you want to keep improving. But at the same time, it feels so nice going into a press conference or into a Grand Slam and being, You know what? You cannot ask me that question again and how it feels because I have actually done it.

I think it's maybe even sweeter, you know, having to wait a little longer for it.

Q. Does the aftermath feel like what you thought it was going to feel like?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah. Because I think the fact that I went through it with a No. 1 ranking and I kind of knew what that felt like, I kind of knew what it would feel like after winning a Grand Slam.

And so I expected it to be the way it was, that nothing changes (smiling) except from the question, "you have been No. 1 without a Grand Slam," I'm never going to get that again, which is such a great feeling.

But, you know, other than that, nothing really changes and you just have to go out there and keep playing and you still have the target on your back and everyone wants to beat you and all that.

But in the end of the day, this is why we're here. We want to compete, we want to play against the best players in the world, and I want to win.

Q. Wimbledon obviously will meet tomorrow to discuss their seedings. A lot of interest in Serena's situation. I wonder what your stance is on it and what you thought about it. Do you think there should be a protected ranking for people who take time out for families rather than injuries or anything like that?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, you know, we have protected ranking for injuries but there is no seeding, which is also different than obviously stopping for a year because of giving birth to a child, which is obviously very happy and a positive thing.

You know, I think it's great. I think it's encouraging. It used to be 10 years ago people would stop at the age of 24, 25, and plenty of time to have kids afterwards and plenty of time to do everything.

But now when you see players keep playing till they are 36, 37, or even longer, obviously there needs to be a change to the rule because, you know, I think it should encourage players wanting to play longer and keeping their best and keep pushing the younger generation to be playing even better and wanting to improve.

I think it's great, and I know that there is definitely some talks, and I'm sure that some rules are going to change in the near future about this. Because I think ten years from now I think more and more players will want to have families and then coming back. I think there should definitely be help if you want to do that, just like in a job that you have, you know, an office job.

Q. Do you think she should be seeded for next week, Serena?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yes. And I think she will be. I think Wimbledon will make the right choice and I think they will seed her. I think she deserves to be seeded. She's the greatest player to ever play the sport. You know, having won so many Grand Slams and being No. 1 for so many years and doing all that, I think she deserves a seeding.

You know, I have heard people say, yeah, well, she's had months to come back and play, but it's not so easy. At the same time, you know, I think she's shown that she's on the right track to come back, and I think she deserves, you know, to be getting a little bit of help, because she's proven that she has been the best player for a very long time.

Q. In terms of your own game, where do you sort of feel it is now a week away from Wimbledon?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I feel pretty good about it. I think the first match on grass is always a little tricky and you just need to get into it.

I feel good. I feel mentally I'm where I want to be. It's all about getting a nice draw and kind of feel myself into the tournament. You know, I got a tricky draw here, and I'm actually happy about that, because, you know, I can really push myself and see what I need to improve for next week.

Q. Who's the best trash talker when it comes to World Cup right now in the locker room?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: There is a lot of trash talkers (smiling). But, you know, it's actually -- it's been quite nice, actually, because every night everyone sits at the bar in one of the players' hotels and everyone sits there and cheers for one or the other, and you kind of get together in a different way.

You know, I think people actually are also very supportive. For some reason the Swedes have been very supportive of us, which is -- you know, it's the coaches, but still, you know, we have a rivalry and we like to be better than them.

I was very surprised. But other than that, you know, I have just been -- it's been interesting to see the World Cup and so I'm surprised with what's happened already. It's going to be interesting next week or two. It's going to be fun to see.

Q. Is it nice to kind of have a go-to thing for the coaches and the teams, as well, of all of you guys to, when you leave the site, it's almost like everybody seems to know what they're doing in the evening, like, we're just going to go to the hotel bar?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, for sure. It was very nice to have that with the Polish players, as well, but they -- they're not so happy right now (smiling).

So I guess to hang out with them, we will be doing something else. I have my schedule planned out when Denmark is playing. I'm going to make sure hopefully that it's not in a time when I'm playing that I can watch. But other than that, the Polish players are free.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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