The 2016 US Open has marked a turning point in Caroline Wozniacki’s career. After a difficult first half of the season the Danish player reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows and went on to win two titles in Tokyo and Hong Kong one year and a half since her last title.
Wozniacki started the 2017 season on a high note by reaching three finals. She lost in the Key Biscayne final against Johanna Konta on Saturday after finishing runner-up to Karolina Pliskova in Doha and to Elina Svitolina in Dubai. In Miami she avenged her Doha defeat against Pliskova to beat the Czech player after coming back from one set down in the semifinal to set up a final against Konta. Wozniacki reached her first ever Miami final.
“It is definitely special. I have made a few finals in Indian Wells and I have won it once. Miami was one of the few tournaments where I have never made a final. I think my best result was the semifinal in 2012. It’s always been where I wouldn’t say I have struggled but just not had the results that I have wanted to”, said Wozniacki.
Wozniacki will have a good chance to return to the top 10. She will not have many points to defend in the period from Miami to the US Open. She has the potential to make a good impact in the US hard-court tournaments and even make an attempt to win her first first Grand Slam title at the US Open.
After Miami Wozniacki will be outside the top 10 and rank number 3 on the Road to Singapore.
“I think I can take a lot out of these two weeks. It was a good run. I can take a lot out of this first part of the year in general. In the final Konta played better than me and deserved to win. I think I can take a lot of positives from that and just build on it. That’s what I am going to do. I am going to learn from the things that I can do better, but at the same time not beat myself too much and just keep working and doing what I am doing. I will not have many points to defend. I will continue to work hard with the confidence that things will go better”, said Wozniacki.
Wozniacki has a 23-7 record this season. Before last Saturday’s final the Dane had dropped just one set during the tournament.
“I tried my best. She played aggressively. I gave the game away at 4-4 in the first set, and then missed a couple of break points at 4-5. Those are the ones that you need to take if you want to win a match like this”, said Wozniacki.
