‘The Magician’ Radwanska has tricks up sleeve for friend Woz

The player known as “The Magician” stands in the way of Caroline Wozniacki’s progression towards her first ASB Classic title.

Wozniacki has been the hot favourite since the start of the week, a view that has only strengthened after his first two rounds.

The Dane has demolished both opponents in straight sets, in matches completed in less than an hour.

But a major obstacle is looming for the 27-year-old. If today’s quarterfinals go to form, Wozniacki will face long-time rival and friend Agnieska Radwanska in the semifinals.

Radwanska is one of the great true entertainers on the WTA tour, a player capable of impossible shots, hence her nickname.

“It’s great to hear those kind of names,” Radwanska told the Herald. “I can understand my tennis is very entertaining; what I am trying to do is mix it up a bit and that is what I have been doing most of my life. I can do some shots from nowhere, and sometimes I am even surprising myself that [a shot] was in somehow, from some corner or unbelievable angle,” the Pole said.

As some kind of evidence — for each of the past five years Radwanska has won the WTA’s annual shot of the year title, as voted by global fans.

“It’s just reaction tennis, it’s so fast, you don’t really have much time to think,” said Radwanska. “It’s what you have from so many years on courts . . . you are just doing it. Suddenly from nowhere you are just doing it, some really weird shots.”

But the 28-year-old is much more than just flash and tricks. Radwanska has impeccable timing and great anticipation, and conjures up angles few can manage. She has won 20 WTA titles, reached the final at Wimbledon and the last four at a grand slam four other times.

She’s also part of a dying breed, as the focus on the power game — due to improvements in racquet technology and an increased emphasis on strength and conditioning — produces a lot of identikit players, with big serves and bludgeoning ground strokes.

“It’s the way I play, it’s always been like this,” said Radwanska of her style. “Sometimes it’s hard when you play those big hitters, especially now, but even if I want to, I’m not going to change anything. Because, first of all, it’s impossible and, secondly, I will lose my feeling and those things that I have. You can see on the tour there are a couple of players that are more my style than the big hitters, but definitely tennis is going the way that you have to be a really strong athlete.”

Radwanska also has a special relationship with Wozniacki. They first faced each other around 20 years ago, when aspiring kids playing club tournaments around Europe. They came through the ranks together — Radwanska was a Junior Wimbledon and French Open champion, while Wozniacki also lifted the junior trophy at SW19 and their rivalry continued into the senior ranks.

Wozniacki has a 11-6 advantage in head to head encounters, although Radwanska has won two of the last four and also beat Wozniacki when she was at her peak at world No 1.

The pair have also maintained a close friendship, and have had dinner together, along with their respective coaches, on several occasions during their time in Auckland.

“We have known each other since we were eight years old, she was nine and I was eight,” said Wozniacki.

“We know each other’s game — there is no secrets really. We practice together all the time, also. It’s normal, we have played against each other a million times. It’s a positive thing when we play each other, it means we have both done well in the tournament.”

I can understand my tennis is very entertaining; what I am trying to do is mix it up a bit. I can do some shots from nowhere. Agnieska Radwanska