Caroline Wozniacki: I’m not a victim, I’m just here to play tennis

Caroline Wozniacki raced into the fourth round of Wimbledon and then declared: "I'm not a victim".

The former world number one ended the run of 16-year-old Ana Konjuh with a 6-3 6-0 victory to reach the last 16 at the championships for the first time in three years.

Wozniacki has been having a miserable run at Grand Slams, going out before the fourth round at her last five major tournaments, but she has looked in fine form so far here.

Following her very public split from former fiance Rory McIlroy, after wedding invitations had been posted out, and a first-round defeat at the French Open, Wozniacki headed to Miami for a holiday with Serena Williams.

The break seems to have done her the world of good.

Wozniacki is always a crowd favourite but insisted she does not need the sympathy vote.

She said: “I felt a lot of support from everybody. The crowd has been amazing.

“I think everyone here wants to make me a victim. I’m not a victim. I’m just playing tennis. I’m going about my life. I’m playing well. I’m in the second week.

“My private life has nothing to do with my tennis. When I’m out there, it’s a yellow ball, white lines, it’s about playing it over the net and inside the lines more than your opponent.”

Wozniacki understandably cut a solemn figure in Paris only a few days after McIlroy announced their break-up to the world, but at Wimbledon she has been all smiles.

“To play good tennis, your head has to be there,” she said.

“I’m in a good place in my head right now mentally. I think that shows on court as well. I’m just so focused on what I have to do out there and what my purpose is when I go on court.”

Konjuh came through qualifying and won two rounds at a Grand Slam for the first time but found Wozniacki’s experience and guile far too much.

The teenager’s powerful hitting kept her on level terms in the early stages but Wozniacki broke for 5-3 in the opening set and then saved a break-back point with an ace.

She found two more of those when Konjuh also had the chance to level at 1-1 in the second set, and from there the young Croatian’s head went down.

Wozniacki said: “She is a very powerful player. When I was in trouble, especially in the first set, I managed to serve some good serves, make some aces.

“It was good. I’m pleased with the way it turned out today. She’s definitely someone to look out for in the future.”

Wozniacki, who has never reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, has dropped just 11 games in three matches and next faces Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, who upset second seed Li Na.

Wozniacki has slipped to 16th in the world rankings but has already earned valuable points here and is looking to break new ground.

She said: “It feels great. I’m really pleased. My game is in great shape. I love playing at Wimbledon, so the more matches I can get the happier I am. It’s exciting.”

Strycova caused the sensation of Wimbledon so far by sending Li Na crashing out in the third round.

At the age of 28, Strycova has enlisted a sports psychologist in a late-career effort to bring a new dimension to her game, and the Czech produced a stunning effort to see off the reigning Australian Open champion.

She clinched a 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/5) win against China’s leading sportswoman, and sealed victory amid high drama on Court One.

Strycova, the entire crowd, a line judge and the umpire thought the match was over when Li sent a forehand apparently long after serving at 6-5 behind, but an appeal was launched and Hawk-Eye showed it had flicked the outside extremity of the baseline.

The extra life was spurned though, with 32-year-old Li double-faulting to ensure Strycova, having gone from the euphoria of celebrations to refocusing on the replayed point, did not need to hit another ball.

With the win finally beyond doubt, Strycova walked around the court, taking in the crowd’s acclaim and yelling ‘Come on!’ before departing to another huge ovation.

WOMEN'S RESULTS (seedings in brackets)
ROUND TWO
3-Simona Halep (Romania) beat Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) 6-3 4-6 6-4
Belinda Bencic (Switzerland) beat Victoria Duval (USA) 6-4 7-5

ROUND THREE
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Czech Republic) beat (2) Li Na (China) 7-6(5) 7-6 (5)
(4) Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Michelle Larcher de Brito (Portugal) 6-2 6-0
(6) Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) beat (30) Venus Williams (U.S.) 5-7 7-6(2) 7-5
(23) Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) bt (10) Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) 6-4 6-2
(16) Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) beat Ana Konjuh (Croatia) 6-3 6-0
(22) Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) beat Caroline Garcia (France) 7-5 6-3
Tereza Smitkova (Czech Republic) beat Bojana Jovanovski (Serbia) 4-6 7-6(5) 10-8
Shuai Peng (China) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 0-6 6-3 6-3