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U.S. OPEN

August 30, 2011

Caroline Wozniacki

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

C. WOZNIACKI/N. Llagostera Vives
6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I know it's early, but are you playing well enough to win this tournament?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, always first match is tough to indicate anything. But, you know, happy to be through. I definitely still have a chance because now there's only 64 left.

Q. Mary Joe Fernandez and some of the TV people were saying in order for you to win a Grand Slam, you need to develop a big shot, a more aggressive shot, to beat Serena and Venus and those kind of players. Do you agree with that, or can you play the style you're playing and win?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: They can say what they want. I'm the type of player I am. I've won a lot of tournaments. I'm No. 1 in the world, and of course I can still improve. There are a lot of things to my game I can still improve, but everyone can.
You know, I'm on the right track. I just go out there and I play the way I do, and, you know, hopefully that's good enough.

Q. You seemed very comfortable in attacking today. Is it part of your strategy now to try to set up yourself for an attack or just is it just taking advantage of a particularly good situation where it makes sense to come in?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I usually play the way I need to to win a match, and, you know, I went in today. It was important for me to serve well, and I thought I started quite a few good points with my serve.
And, you know, she's not a very tall player, so I tried to open up the court a little bit more and then tried to take advantage of the short balls that I got.

Q. Do you think it's fair to say that at times this summer you went a little bit away from your base, tried to improve too fast in matches, and maybe that's why you took some losses you usually wouldn't take?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I'm a player that likes to play matches, and I always play better once I've got in that match mode. Yeah, I've gotten a couple of losses, but that's what happens. I tried a few things that didn't work out.
But, you know, I came back last week and won in New Haven, which was a great feeling. To win a tournament four times in a row is something special. I can't believe I've been there four times already. I'm 21 years old and I already feel like I'm a senior on tour.

Q. So how did you get yourself comfortable again last week?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, just, again, like I said, I went to my base. I know I have worked on some things, and I did those.
But, again, I know what kind of player I am, and I am not gonna change the way I play. But I'm gonna add a few things to it like I always did. You know, I felt very comfortable last week.
It's always nice to come back to a tournament that you've won before and a tournament where you feel at home. So last week was a good preparation for me.

Q. What mistakes did you make, do you feel, in those losses? What did you try and change that didn't really work out?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I just made way too many unforced errors that I usually don't do. I think if you look at the stats they say it all. Again, I always play better when I've gotten a few matches and get into that match mode.
It's different to play just practice sets. You know, you make a mistake, okay, you don't really feel the importance of some key moments. But you get those when you play matches.

Q. I understand you're friendly with a golfer Rory McIlroy who won golf's U.S. Open. Has he had a little fun with you about dare you to win this US Open, trying to keep up?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, well, you know, definitely trying to keep up. I'll definitely do my best, but I still have six tough matches to go, so it will not be easy.
You know, he has something I'm looking for and I have something he's looking for. He wants to be No. 1. So it's good to have something on each other.

Q. Could you describe the difference playing on Arthur Ashe Ashe atmosphere-wise and even condition-wise in the day versus the night?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It's a huge difference. During the day I feel -- you feel the court is huge and you feel that it's farther to the sides. I don't know. The balls are flying a bit more, but that's normal. That's on every court. The balls are flying more when it's hot in the evening.
It feels more compact because you can't see the upper stands when it's dark. Well, it's both. It's two special feelings, and it's great to be out there. I'm happy that I got to play, and hopefully my next match will be there as well.

Q. What's your confidence level now? Is it high coming off of New Haven, or do you look back at the summer and say, not so high?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No, I mean, why shouldn't it be high? I'm No. 1 still and I've just won a tournament, so I'm feeling fine, I'm feeling good.
Again, I lost two matches. That's what happens. You know, I just won four in a row; this was my fifth one. I'm feeling okay.

Q. Is there ever a time when being No. 1 feels more like a burden than an honor?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: No. It's definitely an honor, and it's a dream for me to be there.
You know, I'm trying to stay up there as long as possible, and doesn't really matter what people are saying. No one can ever take that away from me. I'm No. 1 in the world. I have been there for 46 weeks. So, I mean, that's a great achievement.

Q. So despite not winning a major at this point and only reaching the one final here two years ago, you're satisfied with what you've done to be No. 1?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Of course. I mean, I won six tournaments this year already. You know, I should definitely not be complaining. I'm in a good position. I'm in a good spot. I'm happy, healthy, and I can go out there and compete. That's what's most important.
I'm winning a lot of matches, which is why we practice. We practice to win. Yeah, I've won a lot of matches, and that's what satisfies me.

Q. Are you sometimes amused by all this going on as though you didn't know how to play tennis?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: You know, it's actually been nice the last three, four weeks because I haven't gotten any questions about No. 1.
So, you know, now I know that I'm back on track. You know, I know that everyone has to write their stories, but I think it's -- we should move on. Ask me about something else, something more interesting.

Q. Any confessions of something else we should know about?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: (Smiling) Um, no. There has not been any kangaroos here, so maybe I'll find something else.

Q. There was some talk during the French Open that you were considering hiring Martina Navratilova to be your coach. Have there been any developments in this area of your game?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I was thinking about it at one point and we talked and everything, but there were a few things that didn't work out, and as well on the scheduling. But maybe in the future.

Q. Among other things, she would have been one of the few female tennis coaches on the women's tour. Why do you think there are so few female tennis coaches on the WTA Tour?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It's difficult to say. I think there is a lot of different reasons. I think first of all there is a lot of coaches who have been good players as well.
The top 200, top 300 guys they're good hitting partners as well so you can both be on court and play but also he can be coaching.
Whereas to get the right -- I don't know. To have two in one in the women's it's a bit more difficult, especially because a lot of the top women don't want to be coaches afterwards. They want to be something different.
And also, I think women start having families, they want to be with their kids. It's a little bit different, I think.

Q. Where do things stand with you on the coaching front now? How settled are you there?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I'm settled. I like the way I have everything now. You know, I'm happy about things around my team. I'm happy about the way I'm playing, how everything is right now.
So I can just focus on the things on court.

Q. It's not that common, though, for a top player to hire a mystery coach who is kind of in the background. Just talk about that from your perspective, because it is a little strange for you as No. 1 to make a major hire and basically no one except for you and your team know who it is.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, well, I have to respect him as well. So if he wants to be in the background and not have his name out, I have to respect that.
So that's mainly why.

Q. Have you gotten any advice from him in the last week or two? I understand he's watching video. Are you talking to him?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I have, you know, even yesterday. You know, he's been watching me play and telling me a few things. It's good. It's working well.

Q. Being at Yale last week and being a 21 year old, do you ever think about taking college classes and going to university?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, definitely. It felt very good being there. I think that's why I play well there. There is a lot of young people around, a lot going on. It's nice to see them move into their dorms with their mattresses. It's definitely a cool feeling. It feels like you're part of it actually the week that you're there. Definitely.
But it wouldn't be the same to do like a few classes, and then -- just it wouldn't be the same as to go there and actually live there. So definitely just to keep developing my brain, that would be good.
But I wouldn't have time to actually live there, unfortunately.

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