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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2011

Caroline Wozniacki

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

C. WOZNIACKI/A. Sevastova
6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What is the most exciting thing you've ever done? If it's illegal, we promise not to tell anyone.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Uhm, embarrassing or just...

Q. Exciting.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Exciting. I've done a lot of exciting things, I think. The most exciting? There are some things I just can't tell because it wouldn't look good (smiling).
Well, the other day I went to the park and I saw this kangaroo lying there. If you've seen, I'm playing with the thing on my shin here. It was lying there. So I wanted to go over and help it out. As I went over to it, it just started to be aggressive and it actually cut me. So I think that's pretty exciting. But I learned my lesson and I just started running away.

Q. You went to help it out? You thought it was dying or something?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I thought I was going to be nice and try to help it out because it was just lying there. I thought maybe it needed some help. I wanted to take it up and maybe bring it somewhere.

Q. It was a baby?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It wasn't big. It was a baby. I just wanted to help it out. I found out that I shouldn't do that.

Q. Scratch you pretty good?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, it scratched me pretty well. That's why I'm playing with this tape on my shin.

Q. Did you go to the doctor?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I went to the doctor. They cleaned it and everything. They wanted to do a few stitches. I said, There's no way you're going to do stitches. I just told them to glue it together. I'm playing with the Steri-Strips. It's looking fine. So everyone is happy.

Q. You've done a lot of boxing. Did you think about boxing the kangaroo as it took a swing at you?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I'm sure that was ready for some boxing. I like boxing.
It looked so cute. But once it started scratching me, I was a coward and I run away.

Q. It wasn't a park near your hotel in the city?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No, it was just a little bit outside of the city. We were just outside with some friends because we have a lot of friends here. They wanted to show me around the park. There was a kangaroo that didn't want to be nice to me.

Q. Want to talk about the match?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Sure (laughter).
Uhm, yeah, I think it was a tough match out there. I got a bit of a tough start. I was down 2-Love in the first set. I went out there, she didn't give me a lot of rhythm. She was playing pretty flat and deep with her forehand. Then she was spinning it quite a bit with her backhand, not giving me too much power. I found it quite tough to get out there and get a rhythm.
But I'm happy that I was able to fight and run and get a lot of balls back and to be through to the next round.

Q. When you've played in Sydney, did you have time to go to the Sydney Opera House?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Actually, I didn't have too much time, to be honest. I arrived one and a half days before I had to play, then I didn't play for too long, as you maybe know. I was straightaway over here. I didn't actually get to see too much.
But my brother, he stayed a few days because he was there. He made a few pictures and sent them to me.
Next year for sure I'd like to go because it's something you have to see when you're there.

Q. I'm sure you discussed this before at other times, but can you talk about why you picked tennis over other sports? Obviously you had some other options with your dad and mom.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Definitely. Well, I'm born in a sports family. I think since I was a little girl we all were great competitors. Doesn't matter what we were playing, we always wanted to win, even if it was cards or Yahtzee, whatever we were playing. Everyone was getting upset if we lost - especially me.
I was doing pretty well at team sports as well. But it's pretty frustrating when the coach doesn't put you on the field. So tennis I think was just the most exciting sport. I was the boss and no one could tell me that I wasn't good enough or they wanted to change me. When I'm there, I was the one to decide. That's what I like about the tennis.

Q. Did you play football?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I did.

Q. You must have been pretty good, given you have the genes and everything.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I played pretty good. I didn't play for too long because there were girls' teams. The girls' teams weren't that popular back then. I didn't feel like playing with the guys. Sometimes I played with my brother. He's four years older. You can imagine me being a little girl, them being two heads bigger. They always put me on the goal, the goalkeeper. That was nice of them. I broke a couple fingers doing that.
I think my brother just wanted to learn me to be tough. I was never allowed to cry because I was with all the big guys. If I wanted to play, I just had to accept being put where they wanted me.

Q. What other team sports did you play where they left you on the sidelines?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I played handball as well. I was doing gymnastics. It's not a team sport, but we were a big group back then. Other than that, swimming. That's not really a team sport. I was playing piano with a friend. We were four-handed. It's pretty hard for the arms, you're actually working your fingers, yeah.

Q. Why do you like Liverpool?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Why? Well, actually for a long time I've been supporting Liverpool. My brother has been a Manchester United fan for quite a bit. I think in the beginning it was mostly because he was a Man United fan and I wanted to be the opposite.
Then I just think Steven Gerrard is one of the best players out there and I really like the way he's playing, the way Liverpool has been playing always. Then Fernando Torres is one of my favorite players. I have two and they're both playing for that team. There are a few Danish players there now.
I just think all the traditions and everything. I went to Anfield. It's an incredible atmosphere there.

Q. They won 3-nil yesterday.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I actually saw that. I didn't actually see it, I heard it. I was really pleased. It was a good morning for me this morning.

Q. Who out of your possible competitors do you fear the most?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Who I fear? I don't fear anyone actually. I'm feeling confident. I feel like I can beat anyone on a good day. I think they have to fear me when they're playing me.
I just go out there and do my best. If they're better than me that day, it's just too good.

Q. Elena Baltacha was in here last week and she said when you're a lower-ranked player playing a higher-ranked player you cannot afford to respect them. You're the highest ranked player. Do you go on the court with respect for your opponent or is that the wrong word to use?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No, you always have to respect your opponent, definitely. In a Grand Slam, no matches are easy, especially in a Grand Slam. You have to go out there, and if you have no respect, that means that you don't respect yourself as well. You've been there. I've been there. Everyone on their way up.
For me, I have to be focused. Doesn't matter if I'm playing No. 500 in the world or if I'm playing No. 2, I'm always going in there with a big focus and determination.

Q. Kim, by her own admission, didn't play terribly well yet she's still comfortably favorite to win here. Do you think that's right?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: If it's fair that she won?

Q. Is favored to win here quite comfortably.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Actually, to be honest, I don't think it matters who is the favorite. I think in the end it's who won the tournament. I mean, you can play unbelievable tennis, but you lose. So sometimes you just need to get through that period where you don't feel like you're playing your best tennis. I think that the real champions come through even though they're not playing on their highest level.

Q. Should you be favorite?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. I think it's up to you guys who you decide being the favorite. For me it doesn't really matter because when you go out there on the court you don't get a lead even though you're a favorite. So you just need to go out there and fight for every point.

Q. Can you talk about Kuznetsova and Schiavone. Both Grand Slam champions, experienced, capable. Talk about the two of them, what you think you have to do.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, definitely they're really great players. I'm good friends with both of them. They're fun girls off the court, as well.
Schiavone is a girl, she's trying to be aggressive at the moment, trying to come to the net, mixes it up, slice, hits the forehand. You just need to focus on your side of the net because if you start focusing on what she is doing, I think you'll get confused a bit.
Svetlana, she has so much power and she's actually moving very well, having a good serve. So, again, it's important to stay in there, stay focused, and don't give up, not thinking about what the score is.

Q. You have a wonderful Stadium Park in Copenhagen where every June they have a Grand Prix in Speedway. Did you have a chance to watch it or if not would you love to go for it?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I have actually watched it live once a few years ago. I think it's very interesting because both Polish and Danish are actually really good at it, so it makes it more fun. It's fun when you can cheer on your country mates.

Q. You're obviously very young. What have you invested your earnings into? Have you bought any properties yet?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: You know, I'm doing a lot of things. I didn't buy any properties yet. I'm still looking where the best places are and everything. You know, I'm very conservative. Just like to keep it safe. For me, you know, I know how hard it is, how hard I've worked for it. For me, I live the way I do, and I don't spend money right and left because it's a sport and I want to, you know, enjoy my life after my career as well.

Q. What is the most expensive thing you've ever bought for yourself?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Probably a car.

Q. What kind?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I have to watch out now because I love Audi. Audi is my sponsor, so... (Laughter).

Q. It's not an Audi then?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Uhm, next question (laughter).

Q. I want your opinion on Kim Clijsters. Have you watched her?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, yeah, I've watched her definitely. I watched her also the first night she was playing against Dinara. She's on fire. She's playing really well. She's moving well. She has her life set already. She has a family. She has everything settled around her. So she just goes out there and enjoys playing. I think that's why she's playing so well at the moment, as well. And she's a great girl off the court, as well. We have a good laugh. Just her whole team is really nice and we have a good time off the court.

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