Welcome back to Woz Watch, as we continue to cover all things Caroline Wozniacki.
Remember, she’s a New Yorker now, so this is a local story.
“It feels so much better,” Wozniacki said. “I just can cook — or I don’t cook, actually. (Smiling.) Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. My mom has cooked. She’s staying with me this week, which is nice. She’s cooked a couple of meals. She does my laundry, as well. It’s nice to have mom around. Usually I have to do all that myself.
“It’s nice just being able to sleep in your own bed. Kind of, you know, just more — it’s a more relaxed feeling. Also, I have so many friends here, so every day I have been going out for lunch or dinners and just kind of enjoyed the city, as well.”
See, mom, cooking, laundry, sleeping in her own bed. We have a little of everything.
And tennis too, which is why she can do those tings. Today, she bested the upstart No. 8 seed Madison Keys today in straight sets, 6-3 6-4.
“It’s been a good week,” Wozniacki said. “I’m really happy about the way I played. Obviously Madison is a strong player. She hits the ball really hard.
“But I managed to really, you know, play well, get a lot of returns in. I served well, which I was pleased with.
“Yeah, I’m just happy that I got another win.”
Happy to get into the Quarterfinals and making it look easy. These days the Great Dane is making everyone happy, even the USTA, who was glad to get the court clear for Rafael Nadal’s epic match.
But happy isn’t just the word. Surprising is a better way to describe Wozniacki. She was unseeded here. Injured and just coming back.
And now you can call this a Cinderella story.
“I think it’s crazy, meaning, it’s crazy to be out there again and just playing really well,” she said. “It’s nice to play in front of such a big crowd. Yeah, it’s been a good week so far. Obviously it wasn’t an easy match today. She plays the ball really strong. She has a great forehand, good serve.
“She was really hitting some bombs which I was really pleased the way I was able to return a lot of those serves back and just kind of getting those actual balls in play.”
Now The Woz gets to face another unseeded player in Anastasija Sevastova, who is ranked 48th in the world coming in. “I had some tough matches against her in the past. I think we played Fed Cup a couple of times, but also we played the Australian Open,” she said. “She’s a tough player. She’s a tough opponent. She has a lot of grit and good hands. It’s not going to be an easy one, but I’m excited just to have another shot.”
Then it gets tricky for Wozniacki. Even though The Woz won’t look ahead, we will. In the Semifinals, No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber looms and then her buddy Serena could be there in the final.
So it’s not going to be easy.
But she’s surprising everyone right now, so who knows?
It’s just that she’s home.
“I think that’s kind of recharged my batteries,” she said.
And Flushing Meadows is seeing it up close and personal.
The Week of The Woz continues…
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