Caroline Wozniacki Has Her Enthusiasm Back

Written by: Staff on 21st February 2013

Caroline Wozniacki Has Her Enthusiasm Back

epa03591880 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in action during her match against Jie Zheng of China during the third day of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 February 2013. EPA/ALI HAIDER |

Former world no.1 Caroline Wozniacki admits she lost her drive for tennis midway through last year but is now benefiting from the recovery of her enthusiasm.

The 22 year-old was a first round loser a both Wimbledon and the US Open last year as he ranking slid from top spot to outside of the world’s top ten. Coaching relationships with both Spaniard Roberto Sanchez and Sweden’s former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson were short-lived and she admitted: “There was a time last year when I think tennis became just a job. But now I feel like I’ve got that hunger back and along with enjoyment of the game.”

Wozniacki is back contesting the Dubai Duty Free Championships where she was champion in 2011 and a semi-finalist last year. She also has just her father Piotr as a lone coaching voice and that suits her.

“I learned a lot last year, about myself and my game and about my team,” she said. “For me, the most important thing is that I have a great team around me, and that I feel comfortable. The fact I have my family there is very important to me because they have always been so close.”

Wozniacki dropped just five games in her initial two matches in the Dubai event and maintains she is now benefiting from concerted physical work in the off season that helped her drop a little weight.

But she said: “Last year I had a little bit of a sickness and small injuries going into the clay season. The results weren’t there as I wanted them. I retired in a couple of matches.

“After that, I just don’t think it was too much fun to be out there when you know you’re not going to play up to your best level. I always fight, I always want to do my best, but when you know your best is way better than what you’re performing, then it’s not very pleasing.

“Madrid, Rome. Stuttgart I had a back injury. I felt like: ‘Come on. Let me just get over this and move on.’ Then at New Haven, where I’d won the title four times I had to retire in the semifinals with a knee injury, which was unfortunate.

“Wimbledon and US Open were quite disappointing for me, because first?round losses definitely weren’t fun. But then after that again I felt like I played well in Asia. There is nothing bad that doesn’t turn out to be something good.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Caroline Wozniacki, Dubai Duty Free Championships, Dutch tennis news, Sports, Tennis News