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WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2011

Caroline Wozniacki

LONDON, ENGLAND

C. WOZNIACKI/J. Gajdosova
6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you describe how you played today?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Uhm, well, I thought I played pretty well. I think, you know, I served well in the important points and I got a lot of returns back after -- you know, the first four return games from both sides, we just held pretty easily, but then afterwards, yeah, we got a lot of returns back and I thought that we played well.

Q. What do you think you can improve on?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, you can always improve. You can improve on everything.
But, you know, usually I just look one match at a time. I'm happy that I went through today. And next match, it's also tough, so we will just have to see.

Q. You haven't dropped a set yet. Who needs grass court preparation?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I've had great preparation. I came here a week early. I have been playing well. I enjoy playing on grass. So when you're mentally happy on the surface, then usually you play better as well.
You know, I enjoy Wimbledon and I enjoy being here.

Q. You have a good record on grass.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I think I have. It's not a surface we play on that often. But when we do, I always look forward to it.

Q. After you lost at Roland Garros, you said, I guarantee I'm going to play better at Wimbledon. Can you just talk about why you said it, what the emotion was, then backing it up with your play?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, yeah, sometimes you go through tough losses. Sometimes you go through winning big tournaments and everything is working for you.
But it's tennis. Sometimes you play good, sometimes you play worse, and even sometimes you play worse but still win, and sometimes it's not enough.
When you're in that period where, okay, you know you got a tough loss, but there's nothing you can do about it. Just go back on the practice court and prepare and do better next time.
I went back on the court. Actually I took some days' rest, some needed rest, also mentally because, you know, I thought I just needed a break from everything. Then when I came back on the court, I knew that I was ready to be better. I was ready to work hard again and be ready for the next big tournament.

Q. When you took the mental break, how were you able to turn yourself off of the tennis?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Actually, it was pretty easy for me because I left Paris straightaway. I said, I cannot stay in Paris when I'm not playing. You know, it's a little bit depressing because you feel like you're supposed to be there and play but you're not.
I left for London. I stayed here for maybe five days, enjoyed the football, went to dinner with some friends, just enjoyed my time here. Then I went back to Paris on Tuesday because there was the Champions Dinner.
I left straightaway the next morning. At 6:00 I had transport to take me home to Monaco. When I was there, no tennis on TV. Even when my brother actually came by to visit, he and my parents wanted to watch tennis. Every time they turned it on, I went to another room.
So, yeah, it wasn't that difficult. You know, I have so many things around that can keep me busy. So as long as you have some other interests, as well, then you're fine.

Q. Which matches did you see of the football matches? Have you had any good-luck messages from Liverpool players?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, yeah, I went to the Champions League finals and I watched Barcelona against Manchester United.
Since I'm a Liverpool supporter, obviously I wanted Barca to win. I met Dwight Yorke there, as well. He knew I was a Liverpool supporter. He came up to me. He was actually a big tennis fan as well. He teased me a little bit about who won the trophy, who was in the Champions League finals, so on. He asked me actually what I was doing there. I just told him, Hey, listen, I'm there to support Barca. I'm sorry.

Q. The Liverpool players are not getting in touch with you?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I've met many of them. I've gotten messages from some of them wishing me good luck.

Q. Which ones?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know if I'm supposed to be mentioning names. You know, all of them are well-known, so...

Q. I don't think they're going to be too offended.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Last three weeks I've been in the spotlight, supposedly dating every single guy I eat dinner with. If I say a name here, then I'm sure it will make a big headline. So I just prefer to be quiet about it.

Q. It's been a little while since you had that fun press conference in Melbourne where you interviewed yourself. Could you talk about the role of the press, what kind of job you think the media does in terms of covering tennis, interesting questions, not so interesting questions?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, to be honest, I don't read too much about tennis in the media. I watch a lot of the matches actually when I'm still in the tournament, just having a day off.
But I think for me there's been more interesting questions now since I made that press conference. And I think the media are trying to figure out new ways to see a new side of me. I don't know, maybe some of the other players as well.
When I have the opportunity, I like just to have fun and make a little bit of fun, like with Novak the other day as well. I'm sure we can figure something out, as well, maybe here if it fits or later in the tournament.

Q. If your media bosses back in Monaco ask you to ask yourself a really interesting question, what would you ask Caroline?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I've gotten asked that question so many times. I don't know.
You know, I think definitely something completely random probably. Uhm, well, I'm not a journalist here. I don't know.

Q. Can you talk about your next opponent, what sort of history you have.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Who am I playing?

Q. Cibulkova.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I've played her a few times already this year. I've played her quite a few times last year as well. We grew up playing against each other in the juniors. So we know each other pretty well.
She's not a tall player. She's a pretty short player. But taking the ball early, trying to be aggressive, returning well. It's going to be a game where I need to keep my serve up. I need to get a lot of balls back and try to take the initiative and make her run.

Q. Do you think this could be the big one for you here this year?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. I just take one game at a time. I always just do that.

Q. Jarmila's game today, she was very aggressive today?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: She was very aggressive. I knew she was going to be. She has a big serve and a big forehand.
Yeah, I was really happy when I got that break in the first set. I knew I just needed to keep my serve. I was just trying to keep focusing every point.
Even though I broke her early in the second set again, I was facing breakpoints in the game after. So I knew that I shouldn't be letting her in the game too much, because once she starts to believe that she can be there, then she's not going to go away.

Q. What is your relationship with Maria Sharapova, and what do you think the potential might be for a rivalry on the court between the two of you?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Uhm, well, to be honest, just saying hi and how are you; not really too much more. I mean, she has the team around her. She usually sticks to her team.
But, uhm, you know, she is a nice girl as well. If you have any questions or whatever, you can talk.
Yeah, I don't know about the rivalry. To be honest, I compete against every opponent that is on the other side, so that's what I look for.

Q. You're known for being very consistent, making very few unforced errors this week. Looks like you're going for more on your serve. Is that something you're going to have to do in the second week?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Definitely. I'm going to try to keep my serve up this way. The serve is very important on grass. On clay maybe it's more important to get the first serve in. Even though you hit a big serve, it goes slower, and you still get the return back.
But here on grass, I definitely go more for it, and as well on hard court. I try to make a lot of placed serves as well so it makes it difficult for the opponent.

Q. So it's something you're consciously doing?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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