Vanquished Wozniacki has plans chalked out
With a Grand Slam trophy still outside her grasp, Caroline Wozniacki could only depart the US Open hugging her world number one ranking tight.
With a Grand Slam trophy still outside her grasp, Caroline Wozniacki could only depart the US Open hugging her world number one ranking tight.
The Dane, who has climbed to the top of women's tennis with a determined style that has brought her six WTA titles this season, was blown away by former world number one Serena Williams in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, and admitted her persistence was no match for the American's power.
"I never gave up. I was always trying to play the next point, the next point," Wozniacki said. "But Serena played very, very well. She's in great shape. Hitting all her strokes. And that serve was a killer."
Williams blasted 34 winners past Wozniacki, who finished with just five -- and not one of those until the second set.
The power disparity put paid to Wozniacki's dream of nabbing a US Open title to match the one that golfer boyfriend Rory McIlroy claimed this year.
Instead she leaves yet another Grand slam amid a hail of questions on her ranking and her inability to come through in a major.
"I'm still number one in the ranking and still number one in the race," Wozniacki said. "No one can take that away from me right now."
But even as she was building her WTA resume this season, Wozniacki lost in the semi-finals at the Australian Open, exited Roland Garros in the third round and Wimbledon in the round of 16.
After her Wimbledon flop, Wozniacki endured early exits at Bastad, Toronto and Cincinnati before righting the ship with a fourth straight WTA victory at New Haven in the week before the Open.
"It has definitely been a successful year for me," said Wozniacki, whose best Grand Slam showing remains her 2009 runner-up finish to Kim Clijsters at Flushing Meadows.
"I cannot complain. I won six titles. I have made two semi-finals of Grand Slams. I'm healthy, which is very important."
"I'm just ready to take up the next couple of challenges that are due this year ... three more tournaments and then I'm done. I can relax a bit and prepare for next year."