 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
After compiling an impressive ITF Junior Circuit resumé that included winning the Orange Bowl in 2005 and reaching the Australian Open final earlier this year, Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki announced herself to the professional ranks in a big way at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships and the Cellular South Cup in Memphis in February 2006, reaching her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles quarterfinal as well as her first Tour final of any kind in doubles with fellow teenager Victoria Azarenka. In the spectacular showing at the Tier III tournament in Memphis, she was contesting only her third Tour event.Tell us about your home town, where you were born and where you grew up. I was born in Odense, Denmark. That’s the city where the famous writer Hans Christian Andersen lived. I grew up in a small town called Koge, that’s about 50 kilometers from the capital city Copenhagen, which is where I am now living. Tell us about your family. What do your parents do? Do you have any siblings? Do they play tennis or other sports? My dad, Piotr, played professional soccer. My mom, Anna, played on the Polish national team in volleyball. I have a brother, Patrik, and he plays professional soccer in Denmark. Tell us about your earliest memory of playing tennis. How did you start? I started playing when I was seven years old. I started because I did everything that my brother did, and there was a time he played a little bit of tennis. And I stayed with it because I just loved it. What did you do as a child outside of playing tennis? I did gymnastics, swimming and playing soccer with my brother. Also I played piano. Tell us about your early coaching. How were you supported? Do you have a good national program? My dad has actually been my coach since I started playing tennis, and he still is. I am practicing in the national center in Denmark, where I have a coach, Morten Christensen. So I have two coaches, my dad and Morten, who both help me. Who were your tennis idols growing up? Who did you look up to? Martina Hingis and Steffi Graf. They were playing special, not just power hitters such as Venus and Serena. They were always thinking on court and that is the way I wanted to play also. Were there any Danish sports heroes you looked up to? Is tennis popular in Denmark? There were no Danish players really. A few in the Top 50 but mostly I just looked up to Hingis and Graf. Tennis is getting more popular in Denmark but the big sports are soccer and handball. What type of off-court training do you do? I do fitness, gymnastics and stretching, and mental training. How do you relax when you are away from the courts? What do you like to do in your free time? I like to read good books, go shopping and listen to music. In your own words, tell us what your style of tennis is. I would consider myself a baseline player who likes to work the court. My strengths are my groundstrokes and serve, and my weakness is maybe my volleys. I’m working on moving in more though, and taking the ball earlier. What is the strongest memory of your tennis career to date? My greatest memories are winning the Orange Bowl in December 2005 and reaching the Australian Open junior final last month. How important were your first and second round wins in Memphis, and what does it mean for you to reach your first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles quarterfinal? It means a lot to me. It proves to myself that I can do it. The wins were very good for my confidence. I am feeling good. What are your goals on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour? Trying to be No.1 in the world and winning Grand Slam tournaments. That is what I will try to do! What would you have done if you hadn’t been a tennis player? I would probably have become an actor. |
|
|
|
|
 |