Great Dane, great dame – Wozniacki shows Wimbledon credentials
Posted by Sport.co.uk on: 26 June 2009 - 13:53
Author: Jude Buttle
Danish teenager sensation Caroline Wozniacki cruised into the third round of Wimbledon yesterday with an easy straight sets victory over Russia’s Maria Kirilenko, winning 6-0, 6-4.
Wozniacki, who turns 19 next month, is catching the eye in SW19, from spectators and photographers alike.
The Danish pin-up girl has many admirers who pay as much attention to her looks as they do her thumping double-handed backhand.
Already earmarked as a possible future Wimbledon champion, Wozniacki is tipped by some as a possible outsider for this year’s title.
On Tuesday, the ninth seed came through a tough first round match against Japan’s Kimiko Date Krumm in three sets. After an easier ride against Kirilenko yesterday, Wozniacki’s next opponent is Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues, her former doubles partner, in the third round.
Born in Odense, Denmark, in 1990, Wozniacki’s was destined to be a sports star, with both her parents former athletes. Her mother played volleyball for Poland, while her father had a career as a professional football player. Her parents are both originally from Poland and moved to Denmark when her father signed for Danish soccer club B1909 in Odense.
Following in the footsteps of her older brother who regularly played football and tennis, Wozniacki picked up a racquet at an early age, and instantly fell in love with the sport. Dedicated training and competitive tournaments followed, and in 2005, Wozniacki turned professional. In 2006, she won the girls’ junior title at Wimbledon - possibly a taste of things to come.
Since then, Wozniacki has won five Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Singles Titles, including the recent warm up event for Wimbledon – the AEGON International tournament in Eastbourne, where she defeated France’s Virigine Razzano 7-6 (7-5), 7-5, in last Saturday’s final to improve her grass-court credentials.
Last year, Wozniacki was named and awarded the 2008 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Newcomer of the Year presented at the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open, and is currently the youngest singles player ranked in the world’s top 10.
Maybe this year, the Williams’ sisters will have something to say about the destiny of the ladies’ title. But Wozniacki has time on her hands, and surely her time will come, and when it does she will make history, becoming the first Dane to win Wimbledon.