MELBOURNE, Australia: No 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki tried a new tactic yesterday. Her match was over, she had advanced to the Australian Open fourth round. It was time for a little fun.
In a highly entertaining and extremely PR-savvy twist, Wozniacki set out to show the media she is neither dull nor boring – as she has been portrayed – and is sick and tired of being asked if she deserves to hold the No 1 ranking without having won a Major.
“I’d like to do this a little differently this time,” a smiling Wozniacki informed reporters during her obligatory post-match news conference after beating Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 6-3.
The 20-year-old Danish player sat down in front of the microphones, placed a page of notes on the desk in front of her and looked up with a big smile.
She proceeded to, first, lightheartedly mock the media for asking boring questions that evoke boring answers.
“I find it quite funny, because I always get the same questions. So I’m just going to start. I know what you’re going to ask me already,” she said, still smiling.
“I felt great out there today,” Wozniacki deadpanned.“I’m happy to be through to the next round,” she said, sifting through the list of routine questions that players often face at the start of the news conference.
“My racket felt good. I feel like the racket is really helping me out.”
In the case of Wozniacki, the questions almost always turn to whether she feels she deserves to be ranked No 1. She moved atop the rankings in October, replacing Serena Williams, and has won a mere 12 career titles.
Williams has won 37 career titles and 13 Grand Slams crowns, including last year’s Australian Open. Williams is not defending her title due to a foot injury.
“Um, if I deserve to be No 1?” she asked herself with the biggest smile yet. “Again, I don’t feel any pressure to be No 1. I really enjoy myself. I think I’ve had a great year and a great tournament so far.”
Then, she invited “more interesting questions” on the theme of: Get to know Caroline Wozniacki.
She is single at the moment but predicts her future husband could be an athlete.
He must be honest and understand the demands of her profession.
“Sometimes the media is too good-looking here, so I can’t really focus on what I’m supposed to say,” she joked, drawing hearty laughter from the middle-aged media contingent slumped in their chairs.
Her mother keeps a Caroline scrapbook, which is getting hard to maintain.
She “is cutting out quite a few things,” she said. “But I think there are so many articles now.”
She always travels with her father, who is her coach, and likes it when her mother comes along, as she has to Melbourne.
“It’s always nice to have her around. She can cook. It’s nice to have some home-cooked food sometimes,” said Wozniacki, adding that she likes to bake but limits the desserts to keep fit.
She hasn’t played the piano since she was 13 but wants to start again.
“I’m going to ask my agent every time I get to a tournament to have a keyboard in my room,” she said in a mock rock star moment.
“That would be good.”
A few thoughts on tackling global warming: Use electric cars, take buses, trains and short showers.
“I’m flying quite a bit, so that doesn’t really help,” she laughed.
Other topics included her hopes that Liverpool wins more matches in England’s Premier League. She also offered up suggestions for questions to ask, or not to ask, other players.
For example: Do not ask No 5 Andy Murray if he thinks he will win a Grand Slam this year.
The 23-year-old Scot, who is trying to become the first Brit to win a major since 1936, is bound to be tired of that one.
“I know he likes PlayStation, so I’d probably ask him a few questions about that,” she suggested.
She revealed that Danish reporters had leaked to her the information that other media wanted to get to know her better and “said that my press conferences were kind of boring.”
So, she decided it was time for a little class in ‘Interviewing 101’.
“I know that you guys have to write about something,” Wozniacki said.
“I think it’s time to move on and ask some other questions now.”
This is her returning to the room with the book(s). She gets soooo excited. Her face is always a highlight of the day!
