A pumped up Caroline Wozniacki ended Julia Goerges' tournament in straight sets yesterday. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Beware the great Dane.
Caroline Wozniacki has achieved her best ever start to a year - and it's only likely to get better.
Wozniacki is into the semifinals of the ASB Classic, the first time in her long career that she has reached the last four in her opening tournament of the season.
"It's already a great start for me," said Wozniacki.
"I'm happy to get a few matches - I always need a few matches to get going at the start of the year."
Wozniacki has started off the new year like she ended 2014, a continuation of the resurgence that began in the second half of last season.
It feels like Wozniacki's career has already had two distinct phases.
She was the last youngster to break into the big time - reaching number one in the world as a 20-year-old in 2010.
The Dane spent 67 weeks in total on the summit - and this in the era of Serena and Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters.
Then she fell away slightly - by her high standards - during 2012 and 2013.
That period coincided with her romance with golfer Rory McIllroy, before he called off their engagement early last year.
A relative slump followed, but she rebounded, culminating in her run to the 2014 US Open final.
This might be the third Wozniacki era. She has experienced the highs and lows that come with tennis - and public life - and is a better person and player for it.
"I feel like I keep improving," said Wozniacki.
"I like the way I can see changes in my game and improvements and when I go to bed at night that's what feels good.
"I also think I've grown as a person and as a tennis player. I'm a lot more mature on court and now I'm one of the veterans out there."
Yesterday, she dispatched Julia Goerges 6-4 6-4 in just under 90 minutes.
The German made plenty of uncharacteristic errors - but plenty of people do when Wozniacki is patrolling the baseline. A play in the first game of the second set - where the Dane surprised Goerges with an impossible retrieval, eventually leading to a service break, epitomised her never-say-die attitude.
Today's semifinal against Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova shapes as an intriguing contest. Wozniacki has a 3-1 record over the Czech, but Zahlavova-Strycova won their most recent encounter at Wimbledon last year.
"She's improved a lot in the last year," said Wozniacki.
"I need to stay aggressive and keep her on the back foot."
Like fellow marquee player Venus Williams, Wozniacki is also enjoying the boutique atmosphere of the ASB Tennis Arena.
"It's cosy, it's cute, it's fun," said Wozniacki, impressed by the courtside dining, something rarely seen around the world. "Sometimes I wish I could have a drink or some food on the sideline because it looks really nice," laughed Wozniacki. "But I have to wait until I am done."
Meanwhile, Marina Erakovic's participation in her hometown tournament is over for another year.
The Kiwi and partner Monica Puig were edged yesterday by second seeds Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka. A super tie-break was required to settle the match after Erakovic and Puig fought back from a set down but the Czech pair proved fair too strong, winning 7-6 3-6 10-5.
