WORLD number one Caroline Wozniacki insists she still deserves to be top of the rankings even though the Dane endured another Grand Slam flop at Wimbledon on Monday (June 27).
Wozniacki was beaten 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 by Slovakian 24th seed Dominika Cibulkova in the fourth round and has now failed to make it past the last 16 at the All England Club in five attempts.
The 20-year-old’s numerous critics will seize on this latest failure as further proof that she doesn't deserve to be number one.
Wozniacki lost her only Grand Slam final against Kim Clijsters at the 2009 US Open and she failed at the French Open recently, losing in the third round against Daniela Hantuchova.
It was the same old story on Court Two as she crumbled under pressure against the inspired Cibulkova, who will play 2004 champion Maria Sharapova in the last eight.
But Wozniacki is adamant it was just a bad day at the office against Cibulkova and not a true reflection of her ability.
“Well, to be honest, I don’t really care what people think or say or do,” Wozniacki said. “I cannot really do anything. I did my best and it wasn’t good enough.
“That’s something that happens sometimes. I have a chance and I usually take it. That’s why I am where I am.
“But today it just didn’t go my way. She played well as well. So I just have to give credit to her.
“I just need to look forward and go back on the practice court. I still have Bastad before I take a little break and get ready for the hard-court season. I’m looking forward to the challenge there.”
Although Wozniacki won’t accept any criticism of her ranking, she conceded the defeat against Cibulkova was a result of her own careless play.
“I started well but in the second set I didn’t get too many deep returns in, and then she had the advantage from there,” Wozniacki said.
But I had so many chances in the third set I should have taken and I didn’t. Then you lose the match.
“It’s kind of disappointing because when you’re up 2-0 with a break and have a lot of breakpoints that you don’t convert, that’s kind of your own fault.
“She just goes for everything. She doesn’t hold back so if it goes in, it’s tough."
Former French Open semi-finalist Cibulkova added fuel to the debate over Wozniacki as she admitted the Dane doesn’t measure up to the likes of Serena Williams, a former number one who has won 13 Grand Slam titles.
“It’s not easy when you are compared to Serena Williams, because she was the best player and she was really tough to play. She had so many Grand Slam titles,” she said.
“Caroline is now compared to the other number ones. She never won a Grand Slam and that’s what they ask her all the time, when is she going to win a Grand Slam.”
Cibulkova, 22, revealed she had to go for broke on every shot to secure a win she described as one of the best of her career.
“This is a big tournament. It’s a really big result and I would rank it in my op five wins,” she said.
“After the first set I realised I had to go for my shots 100 per cent or I have no chance. I had to go all or nothing.
“That’s the way how you should play against Wozniacki because she’s just great at defending and then taking her chance.”
