Trick shot Woz pretty special
CAROLINE Wozniacki landed a rare tweener – a betweenthe-legs shot – in her 6-3 6-0 demolition of Magdalena Rybarikova yesterday.
Wozniacki played the spectacular shot, which is rarely seen in women’s tennis, in the fifth game of the opening set of her 63-minute fourth-round match.
Even though Rybarikova put it away for a winner, the world No.2 was pleased with her effort.
“That’s the first time in a match,” Wozniacki said.
“If I may so myself, I’m pretty proud of that.
“I’ve made a few tweeners in practice but never in a match, and even in practice I sometimes make a fool of myself.”
Still searching for a maiden grand slam title after more than a decade at the top level, the second seed from Denmark easily accounted for the No.19 seed Rybarikova to progress to the quarterfinals.
It was a far cry from her second-round struggles against Croatian journeywoman Jana Fett, when the Dane had to save two match points before emerging with a gritty victory.
“Being almost out of the tournament, you have nothing to lose after that,” said Wozniacki, who ended 2017 on a high with victory at the WTA Tour finals.
“You just go out there and you enjoy yourself.”
Wozniacki followed up the escape act against Fett with a straight-forward third-round victory over Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens and the even more comprehensive win over Rybarikova.
“I’m playing with house money,” she said.
“I was already out of the tournament and on my way home.”
Wozniacki will face a familiar opponent in the last eight, Carla Suarez Navarro, who came from a set and two breaks down against No.32 seed Anett Kontaveit from Estonia to win 4-6 6-4 8-6.