Tennis:Given the avalanche of criticism Caroline Wozniacki received for being world number one without winning a grand slam, the Dane could be forgiven if she never wanted her top ranking back. But Woznaicki, who was dumped out of the Australian Open quarter-finals by Kim Clijsters today and is now set to be dethroned at the top of the women's rankings, says it is just a matter of time before she reclaims her crown.
The Dane's reign as world number one has been a constant source of debate over the last two years. She came under fire from 18-times grand slam winner Martina Navratilova yesterday, who told reporters that "nobody feels Wozniacki is a true number one.”
Wozniacki insisted the top ranking was not a major concern after her 6-3 7-6 defeat by Clijsters on Rod Laver Arena. "To be honest I don't really think about it," she said. "I have been there for a long time already, I finished number one two years in a row. We are just in January. At the end of the year you see who has played the best, most consistently all year round. I will get it back eventually, so I'm not worried."
Clijsters kept her title defence on track as she displayed no signs of the ankle injury sustained in her thrilling fourth-round win over Li Na — a match in which she had to save four match points. The Belgian had too much know-how for Wozniacki, whose search for a maiden grand slam title goes on.
It looked plain sailing for a rampant Clijsters as she raced into a set and 5-2 lead only for Wozniacki to launch an impressive fightback. But it proved in vain, Clijsters’ greater experience shining through as she clinched a 6-3 7-6 (7/4) win and a last-four spot against Victoria Azarenka.
“It definitely didn’t feel like I was up a set and 5-2, Caroline is a very consistent player and a fighter and she became more aggressive,” said Clijsters. “I am happy to get through and not have to go to a three-setter as it’s so hot.”
Wozniacki has been at the top of the rankings for 67 of the past 68 weeks but the door now opens for Petra Kvitova, Azarenka and Maria Sharapova with the identity of the new number one determined by how the next few days in Melbourne pan out. And while Clijsters, seeded 11, is some way adrift due to her injury-enforced absences, she showed enough today to prove she belongs among the elite.
She set the tone early on by breaking in the first game and, although Wozniacki hit back, further breaks in the third and seventh games handed her the opener on her fifth set point. And when she broke twice more for a 5-2 lead it looked all over.
But Wozniacki fought back as Clijsters’ hitherto flawless game started to crumble amid a flurry of unforced errors. Having taken it to a breaker, however, Wozniacki ran out of steam and Clijsters regrouped to come through.
Earlier, Azarenka moved into her second grand slam semi-final after hitting back from a shocking tie-break to beat Agnieszka Radwanska. The third seed from Belarus struggled to make any inroads against the more consistent Radwanska early on but upped her game impressively to progress 6-7 (0/7) 6-0 6-2.