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Wozniacki eyes maiden Dubai title

DUBAI — Caroline Wozniacki won more titles than any other player on the WTA tour during the 2010 season, but the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships was not among them.

Now the world number one will bid to put that right when she heads a star-studded field at the Dubai Tennis Stadium next month.

The most successful player to emerge from Denmark, the 20-year old claimed six titles in 2010, winning in her native Copenhagen as well Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida, Montreal, New Haven, Tokyo and Beijing.

It was after taking the Beijing title in October that she ascended to world number one, but with that success has come a new challenge.

“Of course, now I’m the player to beat,” she said. “You know, it’s just a nice feeling. It’s nice to know that I’ve done such good results that I’m the number one player in the world. That’s a fantastic feeling.

“And I don’t think there’s any pressure, because I think the pressure is when you’re put on the spot and you don’t feel like you belong there, don’t think you deserve to be there. I think I deserve to be where I am and I think that I’m feeling comfortable there,” she added.

“It is a great pleasure to have the world number one with us and we welcome her back,” said Colm McLoughlin, managing director of tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free. “Since she was beaten here last year her career has gone from strength to strength, and it will be fascinating to see if she can overcome such a strong field of players that includes five Grand Slam champions to win the title at her second attempt.”

She has made just one previous visit to Dubai, falling last year in the third round. But that was a rare failure in a season that saw her win an impressive 62 of 79 matches. She is not the tallest or strongest player on the WTA tour, so she has needed to find ways other than sheer power to win so many matches.

“Well, for me it’s just about being smart,” she said. “I mean, there’s no sense going for the winners if there is no chance to go for the winner. I play well from the baseline, I set up my shots to get a short ball, and then I go for the winner when I have the possibility.

“I move well. I can play the rallies if I have to because I know I can hang in there. I’m fit and I run well, so, you know, it really depends on the opponent and who I’m playing and how I feel.”

So far that approach has stood her well, but she knows she will face a difficult battle if she is to add the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships trophy to her shelf.

Among the opponents she could face are two-time defending champion Venus Williams, world number two Vera Zvonareva, French Open winner Francesca Schiavone, 2010 Dubai runner-up Victoria Azarenka and former world number ones Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic.