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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2020

Caroline Wozniacki

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

C. WOZNIACKI/K. Ahn

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you feel after your first game today?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I feel good, you know, having won my first match here. You know, it's always tricky, especially knowing it's my last tournament. There's a lot of just emotions, but I tried to keep them in check, and I thought I did that very well today.

Q. Has there been a particular moment that's struck you when you talk about emotions? Walking out on court, any moment that's maybe surprised you?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I'm just really trying to enjoy every moment.

I don't know that there is one particular moment, but, you know, there is once in a while, you're, like, Wow, this really is my last one.

You never know, it's still two weeks from now. But every match you go out there, I'm just going to give it everything that I have, because, yeah, it could be the last.

Q. Thoughts on the next possible opponents? I don't know if you know or want to not know.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I don't really know who my next opponents are.

Q. Yastremska or Kaja Juvan from Slovenia.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I have played Yastremska before. She plays very fast, tries to take the ball early. I have never played the other girl before.

I'm guessing they are playing later today? So I guess I'll have to just study up a little bit on both of them.

Q. What were your feelings about the air quality today? Obviously it gets a bit better today. Are you still concerned regarding the weather, air quality, and how do you inform yourself about it?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I don't think I have been concerned actually, because I know that the Australian Open have amazing doctors, and they take great precaution.

I know that we only play air quality up to 200 on the index, where normally at the Olympics and other places it's been up to 300. So I know that they try and take the best care of the players.

You know, I think we're going to be just fine. I think Australia is going through bigger problems, and I think being here and trying to help the best way that we can and doing that with the Rally for Relief was amazing. The tennis community got together. I'm very proud of that.

Other than that, I'm sure we're in the best hands.

Q. Naomi shared her memories about you a couple weeks ago, and she said you are kind of like a first top player for her to give her a text message or something and offered her to practice together. Do you remember about that?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I do, yes. You know, before -- I don't even know what ranking Naomi was at this point, she came out of juniors, but I remember practicing with her and thinking she has a great serve, she has some great shots.

You know, both her and her dad asked some questions. You know, we had a great practice session. I knew that she could play very good tennis. Obviously years later, here she is and, you know, playing really great tennis.

Q. You've been very open and outgoing to other players in the locker room. People talk about it not being the friendliest place before. But do you feel like you at all helped to open things up and make it a friendlier place to live in there?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I would hope so. I think in general my generation we had great friendships even from the juniors and we were a big group coming up and playing on the tour at the same time. I think, you know, we have friendships that, you know, will carry on past the tennis. I think that's great.

I don't know how it was before me. All I know is that, you know, Serena obviously played way before me and so did Venus, and they were both super nice to me and very open and have always been there for me. So I have had a great experience with them.

Then I hope that the younger generation will also be nice to each other, because, you know, it's just a sport and we all try our best out here. We all want to be the best that we can, but at the end of the day, there is a life outside of the court. I think that's even more important.

Q. You have been sort of the main carrier of Danish tennis for a long time, and there are a bunch of reporters here only for you. Have you thought about the impact on the country, tennis, what it might be like after you? Sort of this era you have put Denmark on the map in a big way.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I hope I can inspire a lot of young players to go for their dreams and that anything is possible. We have two good juniors right now that have already made a mark, you know, with both a boy and a girl. Hopefully they can carry on after me.

You know, I got to meet Holger, who finished No. 1 junior, actually last week, and he was super nice. He's playing really well. I think he's a very hard-working person. So I see a bright future for him.

Then we have the girl Clara who won the junior girls here who has had good results and who hits some very clean balls. I hope that she can take the next step and, you know, play on the main tour and play well.

Q. I think you're probably unique in terms of players who've hit No. 1 and you didn't have anybody else from your country in the top 100 or top of the sport when you were there. You were sort of an island. Did it ever feel lonely or was it fun? What are your thoughts on being "the" one?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I never really thought about it, to be honest. But I do think that having someone there before you would probably have been a little easier, because it would have showed the way and that it's possible.

I always believed in myself, and I always believed that, you know, there is no limits to what you can achieve no matter where you're from or your skin color, hair color, whatever it might be.

But I think showing the path and having someone before you that has already drawn the way I think definitely is a big inspiration. I had to take inspiration from some of the players that we did have and then move on and, you know, take inspiration from Steffi Graf, from Martina Hingis, some of the other players that were playing at the time.

Q. Speaking of being No. 1 Danish player, you would have a chance to represent your country this year for Tokyo Olympics. When you decided to retire, it didn't go through your mind to play until the Olympics?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, it definitely did. You know, it was a big topic for me and something that obviously has been such an amazing experience for me to play at the Olympics, and I think playing in the Tokyo Olympics would have been amazing.

I wished I could have played, you know, doubles or mixed doubles. That would have made it even more desirable for me to go out there, as well. But, you know, I decided that I wanted to finish here, and, you know, who knows? Maybe I'll show up at the Olympics and do something else, you know. Maybe -- we'll see. Maybe I can be a part in another way.

Q. You can run the marathon?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know if the Olympics and a marathon would be my way. Maybe a little bit more leisurely way (smiling).

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