Wozniacki justifies her No. 1 ranking
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?Caroline Wozniacki |
Caroline Wozniacki is No. 1 without winning a grand slam tournament, and she has no problem with that.
"I've won quite a few tournaments the last year and I feel like I'm playing great tennis at the moment," she said on Tuesday. "I feel I deserve to be where I am. I'm 20 and No. 1. A lot of people want to be in my footsteps."
Wozniacki has already won two titles this year: Dubai and Indian Wells. She did, however, fall short at the Australian Open, losing in the semifinals to Li Na of China.
In 2010, Wozniacki won six of her 14 career titles. But her best 2010 grand slam result was a US Open semifinal appearance. Her only career grand slam final was at the 2009 US Open, where she lost in straight sets to Kim Clijsters.
Belgian Clijsters also makes a good case for being No. 1 in the world as the reigning champion of the last two majors: the 2010 US Open and 2011 Australian Open.
Clijsters did push Wozniacki out of the No. 1 ranking for the week of February 14, 2011. But Wozniacki returned to top billing the following week and will remain at No. 1 at least through April 10.
"Kim deserves to be No. 1 as well," said No. 5 Sam Stosur of Australia. "I can't really say anything except, unfortunately, that's the way the rankings work for the players who don't play as much."
Stosur, however, acknowledges Wozniacki's play the past year has been impressive. "If she's No. 1 without winning one (a grand slam) then that's credit to her for doing well every single week and being ultra consistent," Stosur said.
Clijsters wasn't all that interested in debating the No. 1 issue.
"To me, it's not something I'm focused on and aiming for," she said. "I'm happy she enjoys the whole role because when you're No. 1 there's even more things to do. Let somebody else do that."
