Compare Serena with Federer — Wozniacki

CAROLINE Wozniacki has shot down John McEnroe’s claim that Wimbledon champion Serena Williams would barely scrape the top 700 on the men’s tour.

And Denmark’s former world No 1 claims the only player in the men’s game that Williams should be compared against is Roger Federer.

McEnroe stressed in an interview he considered Williams the greatest female player of all time but said that if put among the men the 23-time grand slam singles champion would be an also-ran.

He has refused to back down from that position, albeit while saying he did not want to upset Williams, who voiced her dissent by telling McEnroe to “please, please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based”.

Williams misses Wimbledon for the first time since 2006 this year, as she is heavily pregnant and awaiting the birth of her first child.

Wozniacki starts as the fifth seed and the 26-year-old defended her friend against McEnroe’s comments, saying: “I don’t really think you should be comparing like that.

“If you want to compare results, then I think the greatest tennis players of all times right now are Roger and Serena. And if you want to compare results, then compare the two greats. That’s only fair.”

Wozniacki enjoyed a positive week in Eastbourne, fine-tuning her Wimbledon preparations by reaching Saturday’s final where Karolina Pliskova edged her out for the title.

She arrives at Wimbledon full of confidence in her game, and said: “It’s been great to get the feel, because especially on the grass, if you don’t feel 100% comfortable, it can be pretty tricky.

“That’s why I think I’m feeling good, and hopefully that will mean that I can play well at Wimbledon.”

Wozniacki must wait until tomorrow for her opening match against Hungary’s Timea Babos, with today’s line-up seeing Petra Kvitova, Venus Williams and Simona Halep in action.

After being attacked in her home in December and suffering severe injuries to her left hand, Kvitova did not know if she would play again, let alone so soon. This is her third tournament back, after a short-lived French Open campaign and a title-winning run at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham.

Romanian Halep tackles New Zealander Marina Erakovic, while Latvia’s surprise French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko plays Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

McEnroe suggested Williams would be outside the men’s top 700.