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Wozniacki ousts Peer to reach fourth round

MELBOURNE - Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki rubber-stamped her grand slam credentials on Saturday with a 6-4 6-0 thrashing of Israel’s Shahar Peer in the third round of the Australian Open.

The 19-year-old stormed into the world’s top five after a dream run last year, lifting three titles and making the U.S. Open final, and is clearly enjoying the centre court attention.

“Definitely I’m more experienced than I was just one year ago,” fourth seed Wozniacki told reporters after wiping 29^th seed Peer off the court in 77 minutes.

“I’ve got a lot of matches under my belt so it’s a great feeling.

“I feel good out there and I feel like every time I step on the big courts I enjoy being there ... I know how it feels. I’m just going in there in my own bubble and I know what I have to do.”

Against Peer, who made the final of the Hobart International in the leadup to the Australian Open, Wozniacki’s bubble appeared set to burst as the Israeli raced away to a 2-0 lead.

But the Dane struck a vein of rich serving form to wrap up the first set, then raced to 5-0 in the second before Peer offered some belated resistance.

The Israeli saved match points then prised two break points from Wozniacki but the Dane saved them both and sealed the match with a forehand volley.

Wozniacki’s next opponent Li Na, who defeated Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova to advance, is likely to be a more testing opponent for the Dane who also made the fourth round at Melbourne Park in her debut appearance in 2008.

The Chinese 16^th seed came back from a set down to overhaul the Dane at the Sydney International in their last meeting.

“I just think I need to keep steady and be a little bit aggressive,” Wozniacki said.

“She can’t be the one dictating the game because then she’s dangerous and playing really heavy balls. (It’s) just important for me to keep her moving.”