National Post (National Edition)
Wozniacki finds winning formula
Danish star enjoying success in Toronto
TORONTO • Different hotel, different foods, no driver.
Caroline Wozniacki figured she would try anything in an attempt to find success at the Rogers Cup.
Finally, 10 years after the former world No. 1 most recently won a match in Toronto, Wozniacki’s on-court pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.
For the first time, the 27-year-old Dane is heading to the quarter-finals at the Rogers Cup, her appearance in the final eight secured after she beat close friend Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-3, 6-1 on centre court Thursday.
“I think it’s the only tournament I’ve played where I’ve tried so many times and haven’t been successful,” Wozniacki said. “You think about (the past failures).
“To be honest with you, I just laughed at it and said, ‘You know what? I’m going to change something up, I’m going to try everything to try to win this time.’
“And maybe it isn’t the driver or the hotel or the food, but you know, I’m winning. So I’m going to stick to this.”
Now ranked No. 6 in the world, Wozniacki finished both 2010 and 2011 with the No. 1 ranking, a spot she has had not held since January 2012.
One of her biggest disappointments on the WTA Tour came in 2011, when she was ousted in the first round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto despite her top ranking.
When the event has been held in Montreal, she has had success, winning the tournament in 2010.
If Wozniacki is crowned champion in Toronto for the first time, a win that would be her first singles title of 2017, she’s going to have beat the No. 1-ranked player in the world.
That No. 1 player would be Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, who advanced to the quarter-finals when her opponent on Thursday, Naomi Osaka of Japan, retired during their match because of a lingering abdominal injury. At the time, Pliskova was leading 6-2, 6-7, 1-0.
Wozniacki is 4-2 in her career against Pliskova, but in three head-to-head matches this season, Pliskova has won two. Both of Pliskova’s victories against Wozniacki came in tournament finals — at Eastbourne in England in July and at Doha, Qatar, in February.
“We’ve had tight matches this year,” Wozniacki said. “She’s playing very aggressive and she’s playing fast. She has had a great year.
“It’s going to be difficult, but I’m looking forward to it. I’m going to have fun out there.”
HALEP HOPPING
Simona Halep, the second seed in the tournament and world No. 2, took another step toward successfully defending her Rogers Cup title, cruising past Barbora Strycova 6-1, 6-0 in 59 minutes on Thursday afternoon.
“I’m getting better day by day and that’s a good sign,” Halep said.
Halep does have a bit of a bone to pick with the crowd support she has been receiving during her matches at the Aviva Centre. There has been a strong Romanian contingent backing Halep, waving flags and making as much noise as possible when it’s allowed.
“I want to thank them,” Halep said.
“And I think I can say, it’s not a bad thing, but I think that they have to (demonstrate) a little bit more fair play with the opponent, because today was a little bit too much, in my opinion.”
In the quarter-finals, Halep will face Caroline Garcia of France, ranked No. 21 in the world. Garcia advanced when she beat CiCi Bellis of the United States on Thursday.
In their lone previous meeting, Halep beat Garcia last year in Sydney, Australia, at the Apia International.
BRIEFLY
Genie Bouchard’s tournament came to an official end when she and Pliskova, her doubles partner, were defeated 7-5, 1-6, 11-9 by Kveta Peschke and Anna-Lena Groenefeld. Bouchard, the top-ranked Canadian at No. 70 in the world, earlier this week was eliminated from singles play ... Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic earned a berth in the singles quarter-finals, getting past Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-3, 6-7, 6-2.