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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 17, 2011

Caroline Wozniacki

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

C. WOZNIACKI/V. Azarenka
3-0 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. On behalf of Japanese tennis fans, I'd really like to say thank you for what you did. I know you already talk about how you guys came up with idea on the court, but could you again explain about the flag?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yes, I mean, I have been looking at the news, and, I mean, it's just devastating to see what's going on in Japan, and, yeah, all the families and people affected there.
We just wanted to show, you know, that we're thinking about them over there. I mean, it's tough for us to do something, but at least we thought this was the least we could do.
You know, I asked my manager, Can you please find a Japanese flag here somewhere? He's like, Yeah, but it's two-hours' drive from here. I found one. I said, You better take your car and drive over there and get that flag to me. (Smiling.)
He got it, and yesterday I talked to Victoria. She also thought it was a great idea to do this, because, I mean, tennis just puts -- this just puts everything in perspective, and we just, yeah, wanted to do this.
It was actually -- we were thinking what to write, but we wanted it to be simple but still, you know, a bit touching.
So that's -- yeah.

Q. When did you write it down? Last night?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Last night. I wanted to do it so perfectly that my hand almost cramped when I was doing it. (Smiling.)
I think it was nice, and Victoria helped me out, what to write, also. We just thought that this was gonna be a nice gesture in the match.

Q. Two hours away you had to go? Where did you have to go?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Ah, I actually don't know, because he went to some store that was selling flags. I told him if he could look around here if there was somewhere, and he said there was nowhere here.
So he had to go somewhere. I don't know where.

Q. Have you heard any feedback at all yet from Japan about this, any communication about what the gesture was like?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No. I mean, right now I have just been to the gym and now I'm here. Yeah, I mean, for me it's -- I just wanted to show that we were thinking about them.
I don't expect to hear anything back anything, but just, you know, just wanted to do something nice.

Q. You must have very bittersweet feelings about how you got through.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: For sure. Victoria is one of my best friends on the tour, and to see her in pain on the court and to see her get injured was not nice for sure.
I would like to have won it in another way, but I'm through to the semifinals. I'm happy to be there. I'm looking forward to my next match.

Q. Can you talk about your match against Maria at the US Open? It was obviously a big one. She was a three-time Grand Slam champion. I'm sure you're going to say there was no pressure on you, but obviously it was important to the both of you, and you came through very well.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Um, well, it was a good match. I think we played a really nice match out there. I had a lot of good rallies. It was a nice atmosphere and it was a good win for me. I was playing well at that time, as well, and, yeah, I came through. So it was good.

Q. Can you talk about -- before you first played her, let's say a few years ago, you were coming up as a junior and she was winning Grand Slams -- what your impression of her was a player and to a degree as a person?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, of course it's different when you're coming up and you've seen all the players on TV. You've never played them before or maybe you've played them once.
You know, you're just starting. You don't have the same experience. It's all these things that can go in and affect the match. Of course, I had seen Maria win the Grand Slams and she's hitting the ball hard. You know, she's a fighter out there.
But now, you know, I think that -- yeah, I know that I'm a good player. I'm playing good tennis, and to beat me you have to play very well. If you do that, it's just too good. I will try next time.

Q. Did you talk to Victoria after the match yet? Have you had a chance to ask her what happened?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, she doesn't know what it is. She felt a sharp pain. She doesn't know what it is. She needs to get it checked now.
I'm crossing my fingers that it's nothing too serious and that she will be ready for Miami.

Q. In your game obviously you're playing great defensive tennis, keeping the ball in play, playing long rallies. What are you trying to do just to develop weapons in your serve or forehand? What are you working on?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Um, I was just gonna ask if that was a question or a statement. (Laughter.)
Well, I'm working on everything. I think I'm improving my game step by step all the time. Like you said, I'm great in defense. I think I'm pretty good on offense, as well, when I get the chance.
But of course I want to improve both of the things, because to keep being in the top you need to keep improving all the time. I think the other girls also always try to find new ways to beat you, so you just always need to have something extra and have that extra gear.

Q. As No. 1 in the world, along with that probably comes a certain sense of responsibility. How do you see your role at the top of the rankings at the moment with reaching out like you did today?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I think as me as a person in general I'm, if I have to say myself, I think I'm very thoughtful of other people, as well. Of course I want to be a good role model, not only for the young girls and boys who are watching almost all my matches, because I know that there are quite of a few of those, but also just for everyone. I want to be a good example. But still, it's just important that I'm just myself.

Q. Kleybanova told me the other day that she thinks there are a lot of people on tour now, before they go on court against you because you've become so consistent, they already feel like they've lost because they know they have to play for hours and hours just to get the victory. Do you feel that at all? Are you aware of that?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I know that if a player has to beat me, either she has to overpower me or she needs to stand there for hours and hours. That's mostly what happens if a player has to beat me.
It's a good feeling to have, because I feel that I'm in good shape. I can stand there for hours and I can take my chances. I also think I have developed my aggressive game. So I can step it up if I need to, and I think that the players feel that, like she says.
But at the same time, it's very important for me that I go out to every single match, I'm 100% focused, and that's what I am every time.

Q. Do you remember the last time you got tired running, where you felt like, this match has been going on a long time and I'm sick of running back and forth? Really physically tired. It had to have happened sometime.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Ah, Doha against Zvonareva where I got cramps. But actually, I have to say I didn't feel that tired, but my body -- my didn't feel tired, but my brain was just tired, I think. I think it showed.

Q. If it's not Maria and it's Peng Shuai, what do you know about her and her game?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: She's a tough opponent. She's very tricky. She's hitting the ball hard and flat as well, two hands on both sides. It's important she doesn't stand still, because then if she dictates the game too much, it's gonna be difficult.

Q. Do you feel like you're playing for Poland as well as your country at all? I mean, do you feel like you're representing Poland ever? Because you obviously have a big connection.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I have a big connection there. My whole family except for my parents and my brother live in Poland.
But I feel Danish, I have to say. I feel Danish. And of course I have Polish roots and I like Poland a lot, but I don't feel like I play for them.
But on the other hand, it's still -- you know, I feel at home when I'm in Poland, as well, and people take so good care of me and they cheer me on there.
It's tough to say, but definitely feel that there is a strong connection there.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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