Caroline Wozniacki battled past Aleksandra Wozniak in the French Open second round on Wednesday and hoped Barcelona could do the same professional job against Manchester United in this weekend’s Champions League final.
The top seed, who prevailed 6-3 7-6, is a big Liverpool fan and wants the Spanish side to beat her side’s English rivals in European soccer’s biggest game on Saturday.
“I think it’s a tough one to call. It’s two great teams but at the same time I like Barcelona. So, yeah, I hope a little bit that they will win,” the Dane told reporters after a win that lacked the style of Barca but revealed a steely determination any soccer side would be proud of.
On a hot start to the day, the world number one dominated her near namesake at the start with two early breaks and although she dropped her serve late in the first set she was always in command thanks to her fierce forehand.
Looking down and out in the second set tiebreak and after a row with the umpire over a line call, Wozniacki stormed back to seal victory and a third-round meeting with 28th seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
“I started off really well, and everything was going the way I wanted it to. Second set she played better,” added Wozniacki, yet to win a grand slam despite her top ranking.
“I started to play a little bit worse. Thankfully I finished it in two sets. It could easily have been three.”
The women’s draw is wide open this year with Wozniacki having as good a chance as anyone of taking the title, especially if she can keep fighting like on Wednesday.
Wearing a blue dress which matched the totally clear sky, Wozniacki again wore strapping on her left thigh but said it was just a precaution on the clay.
“I felt it a little bit last week and I didn’t want to make it worse, so I just do it for protection,” she said.
“I mean, it’s not bothering me while I’m playing.”
