 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2006 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Jul 2006 |
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| 06 Jul 2006 - Wimbledon - Eleanor Preston | |
| Wozniacki steps closer to her dream at Wimbledon |
Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki says even stepping on court at Wimbledon is like living a fantasy, but after a 7-6, 6-2 win over Japan’s Ayumi Morita in the girls’ quarter-finals, she might need to start dreaming bigger.
“Playing at Wimbledon is the kind of thing little kids dream about when they first start playing tennis,” said Wozniacki, seeded four, who takes on Urszula Radwanska in the semi-finals on Friday. “I used to dream about just stepping out onto the court now I’m in the semi-finals of the juniors and now I’m going to be playing on Court 3. It’s amazing. It means so much to me to do well here. ”
Wozniacki’s parents and brother were all courtside to see her beat Morita and get a step nearer her dream of winning the tournament she used to watch on television as a child. “They’re proud of me and proud to see me play here,” said Wozniacki. “I love everything about Wimbledon, I love the tradition, I love the history and I really love the grass courts. I think they really suit my game because I like to be aggressive and there is something special about playing on a surface we only play on for a few weeks, and to have the biggest tournament of the year on it is great.”
Wozniacki had to fight hard against Morita, particularly in the first set. “She could have won that first set,” she admitted. “I was leading 5-2 and then she started to play really, really well. I managed to fight back, but then she had set-point in the tiebreaker. I was lucky to get through that, but it also came down to some self-belief as well.”
Wozniacki was runner-up to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at this year’s Australian Open in January, an experience she believes helps her chances of going one better at Wimbledon. “I think it will definitely help because I’m not feeling nervous or worried at all because I’ve got that experience and practice. I know how it feels to be around at this time in a junior grand slam.”
Urszula Radwanska, whose sister Agnieszka won the girls’ Wimbledon title last year, earned her place in the last four with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Great Britain’s last remaining hope Naomi Cavaday. “I have played her before on hard-courts and I won but it was very tough because she’s a very good player,” said Wozniacki of her last four opponent. “I think if I serve well I will be tough to beat though.’
In other results, Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia knocked out Russia’s Alisa Kleybanova with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win; while Tamira Paszek of Austria beat Alexandra Dulgheru 6-4, 6-4.
Top seed Thiemo DeBakker of the Netherlands will face Michael Konecny of the Czech Republic in the boys’ semi-final. Konecny moved through to the last four when Switzerland’s Robin Roshardt retired hurt with a back injury. DeBakker beat Artur Chernov 6-2, 6-2.
Marcin Gawron beat Nikola Mektic of Croatia 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semi-final against Russia’s Pawel Chekhov. Chekhov beat Luka Belic of Croatia 6-4, 6-4.
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