Wozniacki happy with progression: “Every match I get to play, the better I can play”

For Caroline Wozniacki, her second career is all about matches. The more she plays, the better.

The former world No 1 recorded one of her best wins since she returned to the WTA Tour last summer when she beat Donna Vekic, the No 25 seed, 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Saturday to reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

It’s the first time the 33-year-old Dane has won back to back matches since she reached the fourth round of the US Open in September. It’s just her seventh tournament in all, since she came back, and it’s clear that what she needs is matches.

“I think my movement is great,” she said. “I think what I have been struggling with in a couple matches this year is just the lack of match-play, maybe losing focus a little bit all of a sudden throughout the match, and, you know, then getting in trouble because of that.

“But in general, I think when I have been playing my best tennis during the matches, I have been doing really well, and I’m really happy to have won these two matches back to back. I feel like every match I get to play, the better I can play.”

“not as stressful” second time Around

Wozniacki has won one Grand Slam title, at the 2018 Australian Open and spent 71 weeks as world No 1 but retired in 2020, soon after she was diagnosed with rheumatoid athritis.

In her time away she had two children and her perspective now is different than it was when she was battling for the No 1 spot. Her competitiveness, though, remains as keen as ever.

“I don’t have to be here,” she said. “I’m here because I love to be here. I’m lucky enough that I have been given some wildcards so I’m able to play these big tournaments and compete against the best players in the world.

“Obviously I want to win, I’m a competitor, I’m very competitive, and I believe in myself and my game, but it’s a different — it’s not as stressful, you know. I’m out there. I know that if I play my best tennis, I can beat anyone, but if I don’t play my best, I can also lose.

“I think, for me, it’s just trying to be out there and competing the same exact way that I have been practicing. Trying to stay healthy is the main thing.”

Wozniacki will play American Katy Volynets for a place in the last 16 after she upset Ons Jabeur, the No 6 seed.

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