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NATURE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL

June 24, 2019

Caroline Wozniacki

Eastbourne, England

C. WOZNIACKI/K. Flipkens

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations on the win and of course the wedding.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Thank you.

Q. How does it feel to be back in business so quickly after an amazing couple of days?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think it was great that we went a couple of days just kind of a mini-moon and relaxed after our amazing week. I think that kind of gradually got me back, you know, into normal day life.

But I love playing on grass. I enjoy being here. It could be much worse.

Q. It's been a bit up and down obviously with injury issues and the like. I'm guessing you're glad that the clay season is well and truly behind you. What's your focus? Because obviously you do well here. What is it about Eastbourne that gets you back into grass?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I just love grass. I think, you know, the season so far I have been really unlucky with sickness and with injuries. You know, there is nothing really I can do about it. You just kind of have to keep moving on, moving forward.

Right now I'm feeling healthy, knock on wood. So hopefully I keep being healthy. When I feel good, then I know I can beat anyone and I can play on my highest level.

So, you know, I'm just taking it one tournament at a time right now and one day at a time. Hopefully my body is going to hold up.

Q. How is having the wedding between Roland Garros and Wimbledon affected your preparation for the grass season? Has it relaxed you more? What was the thinking in that scheduling?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, the thinking was it was either going to be after the French, after Wimbledon, or after the season. I kind of wanted a summer wedding. So then there was two options.

To be honest, I didn't want it to be right after Wimbledon, because my birthday is right around there, and I'd like an anniversary and my birthday for the rest of my life to be spread out. So then there was one option. That's kind of how we narrowed it down (smiling).

Q. You say you have had illness and injuries. Mentally how does that affect you? Is it hard to deal with? Do you get into a mindset?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think sometimes it's frustrating, for sure, because when I have hit my injuries or been sick, I have actually practiced really well and felt like I was starting to hit my peak.

So it's been frustrating. You know, it's another thing when you don't feel great on the court and then you get hurt or sick and you're, like, Oh, okay, that's fine.

But it's especially frustrating when you're, like, Oh, my God, I feel great and I feel like I'm hitting the ball well.

I think just being older a little bit and having played many years on tour, I think it's easier for me now just to reset, and be, Okay, it is what it is, there's nothing you can do about it, so just move on and we take it from there and we keep just working.

You know, I have learned a lot from the years that I have had on tour that, you know, with hard work and with consistency, eventually you're going to get back into it and the results will come. So I just try and be patient. You know, I think with my body, as well, and with everything going on, I have to learn to be even more patient and then just accept and then, you know, work really hard and be very specific on things I work on.

Q. Does that philosophy help you with matches, as well, the patience?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think so. You know, you obviously do everything to win, and my mindset is that every tournament I play I want to win it.

Yeah, sometimes, you know, you just have to go with the flow, and I'm just happy that I got a win today and I get another match tomorrow and we go from there.

Q. With the wedding, you probably failed to miss Ash winning the French Open and becoming World No. 1 just a couple weeks later. That in itself is rare, but do you remember what it was like when she left the tour and what you felt about her leaving so early?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, first of all, I think Ash is such a great person. We have a great relationship. We watched the Liverpool game, I think it was the semifinals of the Champions League together in a bar in Madrid. That was awesome.

And then I texted her as soon as she won the French Open and I was, like, That's awesome. I always knew that she had it in her. She has so much talent and is such a great player. I really respect her both on and off the court.

I actually didn't know she got to No. 1 until yesterday. We were talking, my dad and I were talking about it. He's, like, Yeah, Ash is No. 1 in the world. I was, like, Oh, my gosh, that's awesome. Great for her. She's worked hard, been very consistent, and, you know, she definitely has the game.

What it felt for me, I think the first time around was very different than the second time around. The first time around it was 19, 20? I think everything just came so quickly for me. You know, you have all these dreams and thoughts when you grow up as a child what it's going to be like to be No. 1 in the world, and I think I just got a reality check.

You know, I was in Beijing and I became No. 1 in the world, and I beat Petra Kvitova to become No. 1. The next morning I had a semifinals to play, and my dad was still, like, Move your feet, do this.

I'm, like, I'm No. 1 in the world. What do you mean? He's, like, Nothing changes. You need to keep going, working hard.

I ended up winning that tournament. And then I think I was in the finals of the year-end Championships. But I was, like, nothing really changed, you know. Everything is the same. The people that followed me before follow me now. The people didn't know I existed probably don't know I exist now. So it's like a reality check.

I think the second time around, I dropped in the ranking, I got hurt, came back, and fought really hard to get back to that No. 1. And after winning Australia, I think you just appreciate it so much more. I was just, like, this is a dream come true. I have worked extremely hard to get here. And to do that with a Grand Slam was pretty special, too, for me.

Q. How important is it to let moments like that sink in and just appreciate your success within that tournament to then propel you going forward and using that confidence, just taking in that moment? How important is it for your development?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think you always have the confidence. When you're in the top of the game, you have the confidence, so that's not the problem.

I think just enjoying the moment and really appreciating it, I think, is the main thing. But to be honest with you, obviously I really enjoyed, and it took me a long time to win my first Grand Slam, so I think I really appreciated that together with the No. 1 ranking.

But to be honest with you, I think we are such competitors, as well, and it's never enough. You know, once you have reached one goal you want to do something else. In tennis, you have competitions all the time.

I think when I'm done with my career, I can only talk for myself, when you're done, that's when you can really look back and then really appreciate and be proud of everything you have achieved. But until then, you strive for more and you want to try and do more and you want to try and get better.

There is always things that you can improve on. I think that hunger needs to be there, too. I think that's a hunger that never goes away.

Q. Ash has spoken about if she hadn't taken a two-year break she wouldn't be right here. It's kind of unprecedented to take off the years between 18 and 20. Do you think more players could benefit from taking mental health breaks as well as physical breaks?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think Ash is one of a kind. She was always talented. But I think it was the right decision for her at the time. You always knew that she had the talent if she chose to come back.

But I think it's very hard for -- it won't be the same effect for someone else maybe. But at the end of the day, you need to do what's best for you and whatever that is, you know. I think everyone's path is different.

Q. Have you been watching the women's World Cup?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I have not, actually. Sadly, I actually haven't. I really like it, but Denmark hasn't been playing, so that kind of took a little bit of the excitement away from me.

Q. How do you think the women's game is at the moment? There are so many younger players coming through, people beating each other on their day. Do you think we are in a really interesting time for the women's game?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think we are in a great time. I think it's fun, it's very competitive. I think it's tough, and, you know, I think it's great. I think we have some young ones coming up that have very big potential. I guess you just have to wait and see what they end up doing in their career.

But, you know, I remember when we were a young group coming up, as well, and we were quite a big group that all of a sudden made the jump. Then I feel like there was a long period of time where there was not that many young ones coming through, and all of a sudden again you see a group.

It's definitely interesting, and hopefully they wait a few more years to really make the next break, you know. We like it up there (smiling).

Q. Do you think you were ever as fearless as they seem to be? I remember asking Ana once, and she said she had so much respect for players. She felt that younger people didn't have that.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think it's definitely different. I think there was -- I definitely think there was more respect back in the day, as in just in general. But then again, you know, every player is different. There are some that are fearless and just doing their own thing. And then there are some that are fearless but very respectful of the players that have been on tour for a long time.

And then, you know, I think every personality is different. I think there keeps being more money in tennis, and I think you'll see a big change coming in tennis, as well, with the prize money keep raising. I think the competition is only going to get tougher and tougher.

Q. A Danish girl, Clara Tauson, won the Australian Open juniors. How does it feel to be a trailblazer in your country? Before yourself, there weren't too many Danish players, and now there is another one coming through.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: There is actually two players coming through. There's Clara, and then there is Rune who won the French Open boys singles. He's very young and doing extremely well, too.

I think it's great to have two young players. Hopefully they'll do great. You know, there is a big jump from juniors to seniors, but I think, you know, it's obviously a great start when you do well in the juniors and you win a slam and then hopefully they can bring that with them and the confidence that that gives into the women's game. So I hope they do well, both of them.

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