Former world number one Wozniacki looks to be on a comeback mission. Something important about her seems changed.
Advertisement
Round three was hardly more of a challenge for the world number one, with Russian Mikhail Youzhny calling quits due to a thigh strain after just six games and 31 minutes on court. “I’ve beaten pretty much everyone in the draw before”.
“In tough moments”, Vinci said about Kerber, “the mind is important”.
“I’m not surprised that I could make it this far because I always believe in myself and I always think that – you know, when I got on court I always believe that I’ll win the match”, the Dane said.
Wozniacki continued her resurgence with a commanding 6-3 6-1 win over Romania’s Monica Niculescu.
A right-ankle injury sidelined 26-year-old Wozniacki for the best part of three months and her enforced absence from the French Open ended a streak of 36 successive appearances at the Majors.
The woman nicknamed “Sunshine” for her positive disposition played the role of buzz kill today blunting Keys’ superior power and using her quickness and consistency to drain 33 unforced errors while committing just seven errors of her own. Still, Kerber has won 12 of her last 14 sets and has her eyes on becoming to new No. 1 ranked player in the world. She now comes forward more, cracking hard shots off both her forehand and backhand.
Sevastova rolls her ankle in the match.. “It’s totally different watching and playing”. Wozniacki lost in the tournament’s semifinals in 2010 and 2011. She didn’t play this assertively or talk with the hint of swagger that occasionally slips out now.
But a foot fault on set point in the opening set appeared to trip up Vinci and sent her tumbling out of the year’s final grand slam.
This was followed by a run to the final at Wimbledon, where she was stopped by the person whom she beat for the Australian Open crown, Serena Williams. No matter what the score was, it was always just trying to get back in the match.
On Tuesday, she was two points away from taking the first set when she served for it at 5-4, but she got broken there.
Matches on Monday at the US Open will be (6) Venus Williams vs. (10) Karolina Pliskova, (1) Serena Williams vs. Yaroslava Shvedova, (4) Aggie Radwansla va. Ana Konjuh, and (5) Simona Halep vs. (11) Carla Suarez Navarro.
“It’s insane to be out there again and just playing really well”, Wozniacki said.
Before this tournament, Sevastova’s best Grand Slam run was reaching the fourth round at the 2011 Australian Open, where she lost to – it just so happens – Wozniacki in their only previous meeting.
On Tuesday, Wozniacki admitted she saw Sevastova slip and fall during their match. It’s a question that, in light of her rejuvenation, she can fortunately answer herself. “At that point, I knew I had to kind of step up or else I was going to be going home”.
“I had to keep pushing her back and make her move”. “I play tennis because I love the sport”, he emphasized on Tuesday. Her father and coach, Piotr Wozniacki, told a Danish outlet that his daughter could retire at the end of 2016 or 2017.
“I think I have right now more confidence going out there”, Kerber said in her post-match press conference, according to wtatennis.com. “That is something I’m extremely proud of”.
Advertisement
“What can I say more”, he said.
