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NATURE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL

June 30, 2018

Caroline Wozniacki

Eastbourne, England

C. WOZNIACKI/A. Sabalenka

7-5, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations. What does it feel like to be reunited with the trophy?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It feels good (smiling). Yeah, it's been a good week. Played some good tennis. I'm happy to be here and having won the last match, as well.

Q. Does it honestly feel like it was nine years ago since you...
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No, not really. But I also think because I have played well here, you know, and the years in between, I have played a lot of semifinals and the final, and, you know, just feels like I have played well every time I have come here.

Q. How important is it heading to Wimbledon that you won but it was a difficult win?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. I don't think it really matters at this point because I have had a lot of good matches and a lot of tough matches during the tournament.

Q. Last time you won this one, you were also ranked in the top 3, around the time you got up to No. 1. Here you are again in the top 2. Is there something, you know, the fact that you really got right back up to the top and you're winning more than just the odd trophy here and there, you're actually putting together a real body of work?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. I think I have been playing well for a while now, so I don't know. It just went well this week and I'm going to take it and not overthink things.

Q. What kind of challenges did Sabalenka throw at you? And was it what you expected from her?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I expected that a little bit from her. I watched her a little bit during the week and knew she was going to come out and play aggressive, so I was ready for it.

Q. Did she actually maintain that aggression longer than you thought? Did you think she might break earlier in terms of going for everything?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No, I knew she was going to try and keep it up. Whether she was missing or hitting it in the court and hitting some great shots, I knew she was going to just go for it, because that was her way, you know, that she thought maybe she can win this match. And she's not going to win the match just by hitting the ball back. So I knew that she was going to try and do this the whole match through.

Q. She mentioned just starting to play on grass I think a year ago. Given that, how do you assess her game and where she's at?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't really think it matters, to be honest. Either you like playing on grass or you don't. I think, you know, it's all about playing style and how comfortable you are.

I mean, one of the first times I came here I had not played on grass or one of the first times I played juniors I hadn't played on grass. It's all about just feeling comfortable or not. You can practice as much as you want, but if you don't have the game for it, it just doesn't work.

Q. What difference does it make going into Wimbledon this year having won the Australian?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It feels great. You know, it's obviously nice to have that Grand Slam with me, and it just makes me excited to go into a new slam and trying to do well. I know I have won a Grand Slam before so I know I can do it.

Q. Do you and David have fun things planned for London when you get there?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Honestly not, because I play on Monday. So I'm just going to drive up there and get some stuff out of the way today so that I can relax tomorrow a little bit.

Q. Playing on grass, how much do you actually change your game to suit grass? Or do you just say, you know, this is my game, this is grass, I'm just going to play?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I'm sure you change some things when you go into the grass, but honestly, it comes naturally. I don't really think about it. But I know that some shots I would hit differently on a hard court or on a clay court. But it's sometimes, you know, in some positions it just makes sense going down the line instead of going crosscourt or it makes sense to play shorter instead of trying to go too much for it.

Those are just feels that you get when you play on the grass and just the way that the ball bounces low and everything. It's just a feel for me more than anything else.

Q. Have you always had that or has that developed over the years, playing on grass?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I have always had that on grass, for some reason. It's just -- I just like it.

Q. How much are you not desperate but determined to get past the fourth round at Wimbledon?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: You know, this has been a question just like you were No. 1 and hadn't won a Grand Slam. I just, honestly, I just hope that's not going to be every single press conference I'm going to get that question, because it's getting old, to be honest.

I'm out there to play. I won this tournament and I'm excited. I just want to be happy, and we don't need to put negative thoughts in my head.

Q. Because you're playing well consistently throughout the whole season, does that give you that much more belief every time you start a tournament that you might end up with a tournament at the end of the week?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think every time I go into a tournament I believe I can win it. So every week I have that belief. Whether it happens or not, it just depends on how I play and how, you know, how my opponents play and how everything kind of goes together. But definitely every time I go into one I believe in myself.

Q. Do you think this is as confident as you've ever felt in your career?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. No, not really. I don't think confidence is the thing that has been lacking. Sometimes it's been my game, I mean, if I'm being honest.

Q. You play with what seems a really steady hand, like in the tiebreak today. How do you keep yourself calm when you are sort of in an at-risk moment?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I'm not sure. I just -- I just have a game plan, and I think the fact that every time I go out to practice I just give it everything I've got, and I practice those specific shots. You know, when an opening comes, I just go for it. I believe that I can hit it because I have done it a million times in practice.

So I think that's really it. Sometimes it doesn't work out, but, you know, at least you know that you have the ability because you have done it before many times. So that's basically -- I think my mindset is, you know, I have done it in practice, so I just need to repeat it now.

Q. How heavy is that?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: This one? Actually, this part isn't that heavy. Okay, it's a little heavier than I thought. (Laughter.)

But it's the bottom part that is really heavy (smiling). It's the bottom together with the top that makes it really heavy.

Q. Should there be Danish ribbons rather than Brazil?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: That's true, but Denmark isn't playing till tomorrow so we'll save those for tomorrow.

Q. How confident are you about Denmark's chances?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I wouldn't say I'm confident because I think Croatia has been playing very well. But I'm excited and I'm hopeful. I think now they have nothing to lose. Everything that they -- you know, their main goal, you know, to get out of the group they have achieved, so now I feel they can play freely and just surprise everyone and hopefully put some good football together.

Q. What's your score prediction?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: 2-1.

Q. To Denmark?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yes, of course (smiling).

Q. You have been having a great resurgence over the last couple of years, maybe not recognized by everyone. How big a factor is your father being your coach a part of that, and do you think you'd be here right now if he weren't working with you?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Oh, for sure not. I think my dad has been there since the start, and we have always worked great together. You know, he always has my back.

I think, you know, I definitely wouldn't be here if he wasn't there helping me. You know, I think we're a great team. You know, sometimes we play amazing; sometimes we play less good.

But, you know, you take the good and the bad and you just try and keep improving and do better and figure out what the next steps are. You know, I think throughout my career I think we have done a great job.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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