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Off court, he's my dad and my friend: Dane

DUBAI - Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship finalist Caroline Wozniacki of denmark has dismissed the notion that the on-court presence of father Piotr is detrimental to her career in any way.

The former professional footballer has regularly been seen courtside while his 20-year-old daughter breezed through to today evening's final without dropping a set, often animatedly spurring her on to greater things during breaks of play in matches.

However, Caroline is adamant her dad's influence has – if anything – been instrumental in her startling rise to the very top of the women's game.

“Of course, it helps a little bit sometimes,” Caroline explained. “He just gives me the encouragement and, on Saturday, he told me: ‘You're playing well, keep continuing the way you're playing and stay close to the baseline. No worries. You made a few mistakes that weren't necessary, but just keep your feet moving. You're doing the right thing'.”

“I know these things already, but it's just nice and calms me down a little bit. He's there every time I practise, so it's nice to have him there and know that I have the support. I really enjoy having my dad as a coach because, if something is black, he tells me it's black. He doesn't tell me it's grey.”

“If I'm playing badly, I need to know, so I don't like this in between thing. I have such a great relationship with my dad. I definitely wouldn't have been on this level without him and with his — and my family's — support,” she added.

“So, as long as he stills wants to travel with me, he's always more than welcome.”

Caroline did concede her paternal figure can occasionally be hard on her in certain circumstances, albeit that only comes about as a consequence of their working relationship.

“If I'm not ready for practice or if I don't give 100 per cent, of course he tells me: “‘Come on Caroline, move your .... because otherwise I'm going to make you run even harder. So, I always make sure I'm prepared and 100 per cent ready on the court, but that's normal.

“Off the court, he's my dad and my friend. We relax and have a good time. That balance is very important.”

It's not just Piotr either who has a sports background in the Wozniacki family. Mother Anna represented Poland at volleyball, while brother Patrik is also a professional footballer and those experiences have aided their understanding of Caroline's needs and predicament.

Meanwhile, Caroline also insists Piotr's absence at Grand Slam events have absolutely no bearing whatsoever on her chances of winning one someday.

“In Grand Slams, it is seven matches and I've been close before,” she added. “I just haven't had that little bit of luck with me. But, I still have time and it really doesn't matter. It's not about my dad because I'm the one who's playing.”

alex@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai