noticias y fotos

Safina, Wozniacki: eyes on Madrid prize

Dinara Safina has something Caroline Wozniacki wants, namely the world No.1 ranking.

Seeded No.11 at this week’s Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open draw, Wozniacki will break into the world top 10 for the first time next Monday but the 18-year-old Dane has her sights set very much higher than that.

“Like everyone that is practicing hard, I want to become No.1 in the world and win a Grand Slam,” she said after beating Patty Schnyder in the semifinals on Saturday. “That would be awesome but I’m just taking one step at a time. I know that I still need to improve

some things and we’ll see how far we can go.”

A member of the adidas development program, Monaco resident Wozniacki has the utmost respect for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s current top-ranked player. “Dinara is a great player, she has been having some great results recently (and) just came out with a win last week in Rome,” said Wozniacki. “She is a player that wants to decide the points and is playing very aggressively.”

It seems respect between the two young women is mutual, Safina saying she wasn’t surprised to be meeting the youngest woman in the draw in the tournament.

“She is a good player and there are other young girls that are doing well so I am not

surprised at all.

“There are lots of young, good girls coming up. She is playing good and has had great results.

“I have never played against her, never practiced with her, so I am looking forward to tomorrow,” said Safina of the forthcoming final.

Wozniacki says she hopes the adaptability of her game will help her to overcome her top-seeded opponent when they take to the court on Sunday.

“(It) is one of my strengths, that I can play aggressively but also able to run and put many

balls back,” she said.

Meanwhile Safina, who has won 13 of her last 14 matches on clay, is happy going into the final as favourite and said she felt no additional pressure from holding the top ranking.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” said the 23-year-old. “Until now I have been coming pretty comfortable to the Tour since I became No.1 so I wouldn’t complain (of pressure). I’ve played three finals at No.1 so it couldn’t be better.”