Caroline Wozniacki – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Second finals in two weeks. Must be fairly pleased with yourself?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, pretty good couple of weeks for me. Very happy with how I have been playing. Very happy how I have managed to get through these two weeks, because it’s been very tiring mentally. The fact that I have just been staying in there and keep grinding, I’m kind of proud of that.

Q. You had to grind a bit today. She was a tricky opponent?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: She definitely was a tricky opponent. I knew going into it that she was going to be difficult. She mixes the pace up. She really tries to break your rhythm.

I was really pleased with how I was playing. I tried to stay aggressive and tried to mix it up, as well.

Q. What are you putting this consistency down to now?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I have been playing really well basically since the US Open last year. I feel like I have been injury-free. I have just been able to work really hard and spend a lot of hours on the court. I think definitely that has helped me.

Q. What turned it around, being fully fit again from the US Open?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think I have just been unlucky before that a little bit. At first it was some minor injuries, and then obviously my foot injury, which was pretty big.

And then, you know, getting in there, back into it and trying to play matches is just tough for the body when you’ve just only been practicing. Then I hurt my arm during the US Open Series, so that kind of set me back a little bit.

But, yeah, I just kept focusing because I knew that I had been hitting the ball really, really well in practice. So it was just a matter of time when it would turn around.

Then I got a little bit lucky during the US Open in the first round. It was 4-All in the third, and she was having a few game points there to keep it to 5-4 in the third, but I managed to turn that around and win that. And then all of a sudden, the momentum just shifted.

Q. What’s the key to managing the mental strain of this sort of two weeks that you have had? What are the tricks, I suppose, if there are any?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don’t really think there are any tricks for me. It’s just been all about getting the rest that I needed and just staying disciplined. When I’m out on court, not thinking about the past week or anything, just what I’m about to do out there.

I think by now I know my body pretty well. I know when it’s feeling a little bit beat up. Honestly, I think today it was feeling really good. Yesterday was feeling better than the day before. I think the day before yesterday was when I had a small crisis in the body and I really had to pump myself up and just kind of fist pump to myself and kind of get myself going.

After that, it’s been better. I think I have been getting some good sleep and good food. I think that’s helped it, for sure.

Q. So the groin injury isn’t too bad? I know it’s still taped, but how much do you feel it on court?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don’t really think about it too much, to be honest. It’s worse when I practice, if I’m honest, because there you’re just kind of warming up and just feeling your body a bit more. Once you’re out there and the adrenaline is pumping, you just don’t think about anything. You just think about the ball and trying to get there.

Q. Angie or Elina?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Both obviously really good players. Angie had a great year last year. She’s very consistent. Gets a lot of balls back. Tries to mix up the pace.

Basically Elina is similar. She plays with a bit more spin but also gets a lot of balls back. Definitely two opponents where you have to grind a lot.

Q. What would winning the title mean to you?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: It would mean a lot. It’s a big tournament. I love playing here. I have been playing really well the last years I have played here. I think they said — what, six semifinals? Six semis and a win? No.

Q. Including the win.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Okay. Still, that’s a pretty good record, and to have a finals here again, it just feels good. Hopefully I can take one more and then take a well-deserved little break.