Hogwired All about sports Caroline Wozniacki Danish tennis player on Sunday defeated wildcard Japanese teenager Naomi Osaka to clinch the Pan Pacific Open singles title for the second time. She beat the Japanese player in straight sets 7-5 6-3. This Danish player who was overshadowed by injuries recently had slumped to 74th rank in women’s tennis at the end of August this year. And it looked seemingly likely for her to go without a title for the first time since 2007.
Wozniacki again looked to be in a spot when she lost her service for the second time in the opening set. However, after receiving treatment for her upper thigh, she looked invincible. Hereafter, she moved ahead aggressively and won the match in 106 minutes. This is the 24th title in her career.
In a courtside interview Wozniacki, after clinching the Pan-Pacific open title, said, “It’s a final, both of us have had a great week, I just wanted to go out there and have fun and try and play well. I’m just enjoying it, you never know when injuries are going to happen, and you are going to be taken away from the game, so I’m just enjoying every minute of it.”
Wozniacki, who had her WTA debut in 2005, was runners up twice in two grand slam women’s finals- U.S Open (2009) and U.S Open (2014). She counts tennis stars Martina Hingis and Steffi Graf among her inspirations. She was also former no 1 in WTA tour. She held this ranking for 67 weeks. She also holds the distinction of being the first woman from a Scandinavian country to hold the top ranking position and 20th overall.
Pan Pacific Open’s other women finalist, Japanese player Osaka, is a hard-hitting server. She also boasts of explosive ground strokes. But in the finals, Wozniacki’s experience of playing big matches seems to have paid off. After this final, the Japanese player will move into the top fifty of the world.
Wozniacki, while commending Osaka for playing exceedingly well and giving stiff resistance, said, “She’s been playing excellent and is going to be a great player and is already rising the rankings so fast. I have no doubt we’re going to see her in many, many more finals.”
She had earlier risen to number 28 in the world after she reached the semifinals of the U.S Open earlier this month.
Wozniacki said that Pan-Pacific Open is a great tournament and she wants to be back playing this tournament next. This comment seems to brush off any speculations of immediate retirement plans of this Danish player.
