At home in New York, Caroline Wozniacki has found her form
NEW YORK — On late nights after long days at the U.S. Open, Caroline Wozniacki has a leg up on her opponents for her tired tennis legs: She gets to sleep in her own bed.
Owner of an apartment in downtown Manhattan alongside the famed Union Square since 2011, Wozniacki, who plays for Denmark, gets to feel at home while her foes stay in the chaos and busyness of Midtown hotels.
And she even gets home-cooked meals.
“I just can cook — or I don't cook, actually … my mom has been cooking,” a smiling Wozniacki told reporters Sunday after a fourth round upset over American Madison Keys, the No. 8 seed. “She does my laundry, as well.”
Whatever the recipe has been off of the court, it’s working for Wozniacki on it: The former world No. 1 is into the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open for the second time in three years, but first at any Grand Slam since a run at Flushing Meadows in 2014, when she finished as runner-up to Serena Williams.
Now ranked No. 74 in the world and having experienced a season marred by an ankle injury, Wozniacki is using the home comfort and the love for playing in front of the New York crowd to find her tennis again, with wins here over Keys and former Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
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Tuesday she will be the favorite against Anastasija Sevastova, a Latvian ranked No. 48, who has had a magical run of her own.
“The most important thing for her is to be healthy at the moment,” said Barbara Schett, a former top 10 player who commentates for Eurosport. “She seems a lot more convinced about herself on the court. She is one of the best defenders out there and hardly makes any unforced errors.”
Wozniacki’s choking defense has been coupled with a more aggressive, offensive-minded approach, as well. With her ankle now healthy, she has turned rally after rally from defense into offense, including against Keys, who looked frustrated throughout.
“She has been trying to have that combination of playing her game – where she doesn’t miss and is a bit behind the baseline – but also trying to step in, too,” explained Schett in an interview. “She knows she has to do it. You can’t be defensive all the time.”
Her father and coach, Piotr Wozniacki, is staying in Caroline’s apartment, as well, and told his daughter before the Open that he believed she could win it, even with a record of 13-14 this season.
“I told Caroline, ‘You can win this,’” Piotr Wozniacki told USA TODAY Sports. “She was coming to tournaments happy to be in the semifinals. The dream needs to be to win.”
The dream has always been to win – at least at the majors. Wozniacki first made the final here in 2009, losing to Kim Clijsters, then was beaten by Williams in a resurgent run two years ago.
Many thought that was the signal that Wozniacki was back, having been No. 1 for much of 2010 and 2011 and then – at one point – falling outside the top 10. She ran the New York City Marathon that fall and qualified for the WTA Finals. Then came more stop-and-start results and injuries, which sent Wozniacki outside the top 50.
“I think you just learn so much about yourself over the years,” said Wozniacki, now 26. “I think maturity-wise I'm so much more relaxed now than I used to be.”
About her ranking? “I think at this point I'm very much like I don't care,” she said, smiling again.
But she does care to be in New York – she loves it.
“Caroline likes New York; the city, and this court,” said her father. “The court is good for Caroline’s tennis. She has positive energy on it. For an individual sport, this is momentum for her.”
“My motivator is clearly winning tournaments (and) winning big matches,” Caroline said. “It's being out there on Arthur Ashe Stadium and playing in front of a big crowd…. You never know. I could be injured tomorrow and I may not be able to play out here again. At this point, I'm just gonna have fun with it.”
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