Wozniacki savours taste of victory (From The Argus)

Wozniacki savours taste of victory

9:00am Friday 19th June 2009 in

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Caroline Wozniacki has revealed the secret of her success at Eastbourne – ice cream.

The world No. 8 cruised into the semi-finals of the AEGON International with a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russian qualifier Ekaterina Makarova yesterday.

The 18-year-old Dane faces Aleksandr Wozniak for a place in the final today and will have extra motivation to continue her remarkable run of form at Devonshire Park.

As well as claiming her fifth WTA tour title and gaining an important confidence boost ahead of Wimbledon, victory this week would also allow Wozniacki to indulge herself at a local ice cream parlour a few more times.

Wozniacki, the sixth seed, said: “I really love coming back here. It is my fifth time as I played three times in the junior exhibition tournaments they used to have.

“I won it twice and was runner-up once and then last year I reached the quarter-finals on my senior debut so I definitely like it here.

“The atmosphere is great but the thing I really love about Eastbourne is there is the best ice cream shop just around the corner.

“My favourite is one called the Casablanca which is a mixture of chocolate and vanilla. If I win I let myself eat one but if I lose then I don’t think I deserve it. As long as I keep winning then I can keep enjoying my ice cream.”

Wozniacki broke Makarova’s serve in the sixth game of the first set to take control of the match before racing away with the second.

She should find it tougher against Wozniak today after the Canadian world No. 23 swept aside 2005 runner-up Vera Dushevina 6-1, 6-0 on court one.

Wozniak won 74 per cent of the points against the Russian qualifier – who had won five games to get to this stage – as she took just 45 minutes to book her place in the semi-finals.

The pair have met twice before with Wozniacki coming out on top both times, overcoming Wozniak 6-1, 6-1 in the second round at Wimbledon last year and then beating her 6-1, 6-2 in the final at Ponte Vedra Beach in April.

Wozniak said: “It will be the third time I have played Caroline and I will need to play smart to beat her.

“She played really well when we met at Wimbledon last year but I am playing really well on grass at the moment and the key for me will be to stay positive.”

The other semi-final will be an all French affair between Marion Bartoli and Virginie Razzano.

Razzano showed few signs of fatigue following her three-set victory over No. 1 seed Elena Dementieva on Wednesday evening as she edged a close battle with defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska on court one.

The French world No. 25 took the first set on a tie break and after squandering three match points when she served for the match at 5-3 she then broke eighth seed Radwanska in the 12th game to win 7-6, 7-5.

Bartoli, the 2007 Wimbledon finalist, proved her grass court credentials again as she brushed aside Anabel Medina Garrigues in the other quarter-final, winning 6-1, 6-4 on court one.

The world No. 12 believes she is good shape for another good run at SW19 after stepping up her training during the winter.

Bartoli said: “I think the women’s draw at Wimbledon is really open this year and if I can avoid the Williams sisters I have a chance of making the final again.

“I’ve worked a lot on my fitness and it is paying off now. When I had tough points last year I was struggling to recover but now I am ready for the next point.

“I am moving really well and getting balls I wasn’t getting last year. That puts pressure on my opponents as they have to come up with great shots to win points.”