C. WOZNIACKI/Y. Wickmayer
6-3, 6-3



Q. Now you're in the first Grand Slam final of your life at 19 and you're playing Kim Clijsters, which, of course, is one of the best players ever even after two and a half years' break. Do you think she plays as good, in my opinion at least as before? So what do you want to comment about that?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I mean, I'm in a Grand Slam final. I mean, I'm in the US Open final. I cannot describe it with words. I'm so excited. I'm so happy I pulled it through today.

I'm really looking forward to it. It's a dream come true to play the finals of a Grand Slam, and now I'm here. So I mean, I have absolutely nothing to lose.

Q. Playing in that stadium where it was maybe 300, 400 people in there and it was empty, was that easy or hard for you?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Maybe actually it was easier, because, you know, you didn't really feel the thing that you're in the semifinals. You didn't feel the pressure too much that actually you're so close to being in a finals. Only two matches away.

So I mean, I understand the people. We were waiting all day to get to play, and the weather really didn't want everything like we wanted it today. But we got to play, and I'm very happy.

Q. Could you just take us through your day, what time you got here, how long you waited, and what you did to keep yourself busy?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I was here around 11:30 in the morning. I got a hit in before it started raining, and then I just, yeah, hang out, read a book, was talking to my friends and my family who's here. I warmed up, cooled down, warmed up, and then, yeah, waited till the court was getting dry. Then I a got a little bit of a nap, and then I was ready to go after that.


Q. What do you know about the other semifinal?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know actually anything. I was so focused on my own match. I just know Kim won, and I'm happy for her. She's playing amazing. You know, I'm just looking forward to play tomorrow.

Q. Was it difficult for you to remain focused mentally with this delay all day, the rain, everything, and to make sure you were in prime shape for when the match actually began?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Um, for me it wasn't too hard, because I looked outside and I could see that it was getting gray. I think I'm really good to just relax and not think too much about the match.

But then when I saw they were drying the courts, then I started to focus again and get mentally prepared. But then when I saw it started raining, I relaxed again. So it wasn't too difficult.

Q. How important was your defense tonight? She actually moved around pretty good, but you were able to put the ball in play long enough to wait for her to make a mistake.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I mean, today was very important. I knew it was tough to be out there, and we started around 9:00. We'd been waiting all day, so it was just about getting the feet going and to get as many, many balls back as possible.

Today was really difficult, different circumstances.

Q. I know there was a long break there right after the first point. What was the court like?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, it was a little bit slippery, and I didn't want to risk anything. Didn't want to risk to get an injury because the court was a little bit slippery, so we agreed to wait a little bit until it dried out.

Q. Have you ever hit with Kim? Have you ever played against Kim?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Actually, me and Kim played an exhibition together in Hong Kong back in 2006, I think it was, and we played the doubles together. I don't remember ‑‑ I mean, we played together back then. She's such a sweet girl. She's such a nice person, and I'm so happy that she's back on tour.

Q. Denmark never had really famous tennis player, not male and not female, so how has this changed in Denmark now? Danish people are very much into tennis? Do they really appreciate having a top 10 player now?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think so. I mean, I don't really spend too much time in Denmark, because I also live in Monte‑Carlo. But I think it's very big that I made the finals. Yeah, I'm sure that the people in Denmark are really excited and very happy.

I know I already got a ton of messages congratulating me, and I'm sure that this will be a big step for the tennis in Denmark. Hopefully we can get more players going. Hopefully there will be other players on tour together with me in the future.

Q. On that same line, do you think at 19 that reaching this stage of the Grand Slam there is going to be an influence in Denmark to encourage young folks to practice the game of tennis and maybe play some kind of role model?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I'm sure. I think that it helps a lot, and I think a lot of especially young girls looking up to me and the way I'm playing and wants to practice hard. Now when they see it can really happen, I think they will get to believe as well and they're willing to practice.

Q. Could you hear noise from the stadium next door? Since that match ended first, were you curious in any way? Did you know that Kim had won? I mean, in what way did the noise serve as a distraction or...

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Actually, I was just so focused on my own match, I didn't really think about the other match.

Actually, I saw the score in the back that Kim had won. But, I mean, afterwards I was just so focused on my own match that I didn't really, yeah, think about the noise or anything.

Q. Speaking of being focused, now you have a bigger challenge, which is facing Kim. You say you played an exhibition game with Kim so far. You say she's a nice girl in all ways. But I don't think she's going to pity you tomorrow. How much of her game do you know? How much of her style of play do you know, and how much mentally are you prepared to face a player of her caliber?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Of course I think we're both nice girls off the court, but when we're on the court, we want to win. That's normal, and we're both fighters. We want to win. We want to, you know, win this Grand Slam, and it's going to be a tough match.

I haven't really thought about any strategies yet or anything. I mean, I'm just so excited to be in the finals. It's a first final in my career. I'm just, yeah, looking forward to play tomorrow, and I have a whole day tomorrow just to relax, just to enjoy that I'm in the finals.

When it gets close, I'm going to talk to my dad who is also my coach about the tactics. Hopefully it can pay off, but there are no guarantees. I just want to go out there and enjoy that I'm in the finals.

Q. During the delay, did you hear the little boy run up and profess his love for you? He ran out and said, I love you Caroline. Did you hear him?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I heard him.

Q. Did you smile or anything? I was behind him.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I smiled. I mean, what else can I do?

Q. Having played Melanie, sort of like the supporting player for the bigger star in that regard, whether that happens tomorrow or not, did that help you or does that help you going into tomorrow's match on the big stage again?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, definitely. I think two night matches has really helped me. I mean, it's the world's biggest stadium we're going into, and it's different.

But now I've tried it twice this year and I won two times. I won it one time against Melanie where the whole crowd was behind her. So I think I got some experience there, and hopefully that can help me tomorrow.


(via ASAP Sports, photo/Getty Images)

US Open: Caroline Wozniacki's 12. September Interview