BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 8, 2024

Caroline Wozniacki

Press Conference

C. WOZNIACKI/D. Vekic

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Caroline, great performance today. Your thoughts on the match.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I was happy to win this one. Donna is a great competitor, great player. I thought we both played really well today. Just happy to be through this one.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I asked Angie Kerber this earlier where she is in her comeback after playing Ostapenko who of course provides unique challenges not all other players do. Just wanted to see what kind of player she wants to test herself against at this point in her career. I'm curious for you, what playing styles are you wanting to test yourself against right now?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Honestly, I think it doesn't really matter what playing styles. If you want to go far in the tournaments you probably have to play against a bit of a combination.

So I'm just happy to be out there competing and playing and playing in front of a nice crowd, and on big courts. That's kind of where my mindset is. Doesn't matter to me who is on the other side. I'm going to try my best and try and perform at the highest level that I possibly can.

Q. Caro, is Caro 1 compared to Caro 2 quite different and how, if so?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. I think I'm definitely older (smiling). But, you know, I think you just get a different perspective. I know it sounds like a cliché. You know, having kids and being there for them and being their role model and, you know, I mean, it just means everything to me, you know, being a mom. It's the best thing in the world. It's hard. It's definitely hard work, but it's so rewarding. It's incredible.

To be able to play here with them and having them travel and see the world, it's really cool to be able to live out my dreams. I think it's just a much different perspective.

You know, I don't have to be here. I'm here because I love to be here. You know, I'm lucky enough that I have been given some wildcards so I'm able to play these big tournaments and compete against the best players in the world. So for me, you know, obviously I want to win, I'm a competitor, I'm very competitive, and I believe in myself and my game, but it's a different -- it's not as stressful, you know. I'm out there. I know that if I play my best tennis, I can beat anyone, but if I don't play my best, I can also lose.

I think, for me, it's just trying to be out there and competing the same exact way that I have been practicing. You know, trying to stay healthy is the main thing.

Q. With seven mothers in the original draw, have you compared notes and do you all compare notes?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't think it's the same for everybody. Everyone goes through this experience in a different way. But obviously Angie and I are very close and we have talked all the time. We definitely, you know, speak about what we're doing. And obviously I have two kids; she has one. At the same time, she was asking, what's it like being a mom when I still just had one and she was pregnant, et cetera.

It's just nice to have friendships that go way beyond just tennis, you know. It's where we met, and we met many years ago, but to still have these friendships so many years later and then beyond tennis, it's pretty cool and I think very special.

Q. You just mentioned just a few seconds ago that you don't have to be here. So do you have any specific goals or reasons why you were back on a competitive playing field?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, because I feel like I still have some great tennis in me. I am very passionate about tennis, and I love competing, and I feel like I can still beat the best players in the world when I play my best. So that's why I'm here and why I want to be here.

That's why, you know, it definitely would be, quote, unquote, easier to sit at home, but this is very rewarding, and as long as I can do this and feel good and body feels good, then I love what I do.

Q. I wonder if you were able to see Angie's win today. I don't know if I've ever seen her so happy after a match or just in general in press here. You guys are close. Does that also help you kind of keep your perspective and stay motivated? You guys are both pushing along now, early days of your comebacks and doing so well.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I always root for her, I think I always have, for a very long time. I always root for my friends. It's obviously great to see her. She was playing Ostapenko today who is absolutely not easy to play. Ostapenko also has been on fire this year, really been winning a lot of matches, but also a player that you don't get a lot of rhythm against.

When she's coming back, you know, not having played many matches, it's not easy, especially not easy playing a player like Ostapenko, so for her to really have the grit and the fight and the movement that she had today and the way she was moving around the ball, I think just shows that she keeps playing better and better for every match. She feels more and more comfortable.

That was good to see. I definitely watched some on TV when I was waiting for my match.

Q. Because of the team structure that Angie started the season with, she got a lot more matches in than she would have with a single-elimination tournament. Would you like to see more variety in tournament structure styles on the tour? Do you think that would benefit a lot of players?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yes and no. I think for someone like me and Angie, I think that would definitely benefit us because we are not playing every week. But for some younger players, could maybe burn them out, you know, playing that many matches in a row.

But I think it's fun to play team competition. I would have also liked to play something like that. But, you know, at the end of the day I think tennis is doing great, and, you know, I think, again, playing these big tournaments and that's why it makes tennis such a hard sport. It is an individual sport. If you lose you're out and you have to wait a week or ten days to play your next match. You definitely want to keep winning to keep your momentum going.

Q. Overall, would you say that you have had time to get to the form that you want to have, or would you say you're still on an uphill progression looking for something down the road that's really peak Caro?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I think my movement is great. I think what I have been struggling with in a couple matches this year is just the lack of match play, you know, maybe losing focus a little bit all of a sudden throughout the match, and, you know, then getting in trouble because of that.

But in general, I think when I have been playing my best tennis during the matches, I have been doing really well, and I'm really happy to have won these two matches back to back. I feel like, you know, every match I get to play, the better I can play.