Ranking irrelevant for Woz in Dubai

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  • Tough luck: Wozniacki is drawn to play former US Open champion Sam Stosur in her opening round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

    Caroline Wozniacki should be celebrating the fact that she is back in the top five for the first time in three years, but so far this season, her high ranking has done her no favours when it came to her draws.

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    In the Australian Open last month, the Dane was seeded No8, but she ended up getting ex-world No1 Victoria Azarenka in the second round and crashed out early.

    In Dubai on Tuesday, Wozniacki, who had a bye in round one, faces former US Open champion Sam Stosur in her opening round – yet another cruel draw for the world No5.

    “Easy draws, right?” Wozniacki laughed when asked about her recent luck at tournaments.

    “At the end of the day I will just do my best, go out there and fight. All the players here are great players, the cut is high.”

    While the 24-year-old is thrilled to be back amongst the world’s elite – thanks to a runner-up showing at the US Open last September – she explains how she focuses less on ranking and more on victories.

    “I think the confidence improves with the wins you have and the players you’ve beaten. It doesn’t really matter what number is in front of your name, to me anyways,” said Wozniacki, a champion in Dubai in 2011.

    “I seeded high in Australia and played Victoria in the second round, seeded high here and I am playing Stosur in the second round. It’s not like it’s making a difference whether I’m seeded or not. At the end of the day it brings confidence when you win matches.”

    Wozniacki, a former world No1, may be just 24 but she is considered a veteran as she approaches her 10th year as a professional on tour.

    Serena and Venus Williams are almost a decade older than her yet have still maintained their position at the top, with Serena, 33, ranked No1 and Venus, 34 ranked No11.

    Asked if she sees herself playing well into her 30s the way the Williams sisters have, Wozniacki said: “No, I don’t think so. I admire them so much for the long career they’ve had. They’ve had some tough injuries, Venus had the sickness as well and to come back and be still at the top of the game is incredible.

    “To see what they’ve done for tennis is amazing. I don’t know. Serena also told me ‘when I was your age, that’s what I said and look where I am now’. So you don’t know, maybe in 10 years I’ll still be playing. But right now I don’t see it.”

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