A good two weeks after winning the Australian Open, Caroline Wozniacki is still in high spirits. At the top-class Premier 5 tournament in Doha, Denmark is determined to defend her number one status these days. A sign from Jürgen Klopp & Co. but it is still a long time coming.
From Ulrike Weinrich from Doha
Daphne didn’t go on the trip to Doha:”She is at home with me in Monaco and just relaxes,”said Caroline Wozniacki, smiling:”I miss her a little bit. But sometimes you have to split up and just keep going. It was clear from the beginning that the connection between “Caro” and Daphne would be something very special.
Daphne is called Akhurst and is the silvery shining reason why the life of industry leader Wozniacki changed a little after her magical night at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. And a little more relaxed. Since her triumph at the Australian Open in the final against Simona Halep (7:6,3:6,6:4) on 27. The 27-year-old at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha admitted:”This is a change that I’m really very happy about,”she said. Wozniacki came to the press conference and the subsequent photo session at the nearby Al Shaqab equestrian centre almost completely unclothed.
The life of Caroline W. was completely turned upside down. I’m still getting instructions from my father on the court. Move your legs better, things like that don’t change,”said the top seeded Wozniacki, who has been waiting for a sign from the island since she won the Happy Slam. For years she has been a fervent supporter of Liverpool FC. A noble fan who has visited Anfield Road many times before. At the request of an English reporter, who asked what she could give the “Reds”, because in terms of missing Premier League championship title, Sweet Caroline replied with her winner-PK from Melbourne:”Impossible is nothing”.
Since then, the Liverpoolers trained by Jürgen Klopp have not yet contacted their noble fan. No sign. The Briton Kyle Edmund, however, received congratulations from the traditional club after his semi-final draw at the Australian Open,”I’m a bit jealous of that. But I guess I’ll just have to wait and see,”said Wozniacki, smiling mildly. A further grace period for “Kloppo” & Co.
Wozniacki has other things on his mind for now. After having had a walk-through in the first round of the $2.897 million Premier 5 event, the opening match on Wednesday will be played by either Fed Cup heroine Tatjana Maria (Bad Saulgau) or Carina Witthöft (Hamburg). Last year, the Danish had lost the final of Doha against Czech Karolina Pliskova.
Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova, the owner of the Wildcard, could be in for an explosive duel in the last sixteen. Both had given each other a verbal skirmish at the US Open 2017. The current number one had criticized that the Russian was always allowed to play in the big Arthur Ashe Stadium, although she was only allowed to compete in Flushing Meadows thanks to a wildcard after having been banned for 15 months. Sharapova’s reaction to the attack:”I do not make the schedule. When someone tells me that my match is taking place on a parking lot in Queens in New York City, I like to play there” And Sharapova ended the discussions with a tip against rival Sharapova:”I’m in the last sixteen, and I’m not sure where she stands…” That was of course a fibber. Wozniacki had already been eliminated in the second round in Big Aplpe. On the fourth largest court, 17.
This week, the 27-year-old must worry a little bit about her status as the world’s number one on the palm-fringed facility. The direct pursuer Halep, who was recently handicapped due to an ankle injury, could take her place in the sun again if she reaches at least the quarter-finals in Doha and then makes it to the next round as Wozniacki. It has big goals for the future, as it revealed in Qatar. After mastering the New York marathon in 2014 in an excellent time of 3:26:33 hours and being welcomed at the finish by her girlfriend Serena Williams, she is now tempted by the triathlon.”I would love that. After my career to stay in shape. Then I can eat all I want. I think that’s the main motivation,”said Wozniacki – and showed her radiant laughter. It’s the laughter of a happy Grand Slam winner.