Wozniacki, fresh off US Open final apperance, insists ‘I was never really gone’

Caroline Wozniacki looks to have recaptured some of the old form that made her world No 1 once, as she strives to reach a place in the year-end WTA Finals.

Caroline Wozniacki was a finalist at the 2014 US Open. Julian Finney / Getty Images / AFP

Former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki, fresh from her first grand slam final appearance in five years, said Monday she was ready to contend for more major titles.

The Dane returned to the top 10 in the rankings after making the final of the US Open earlier this month, where she lost to top-ranked Serena Williams 6-3, 6-3.

She’s currently ranked ninth, bouncing back from 18th early in March – her worst ranking since holding the No 1 spot in 2010 and 2011.

In Tokyo on Monday for the Pan Pacific Open, Wozniacki denied she had ever been away from the game’s top echelons and vowed to keep “getting better”.

“I’ve finished the year in the top 10 in the last six years, so I was never really gone,” said Wozniacki, 24, who has received a first-round bye this week.

“I’m excited about the next year as well,” she added. “It’s all about getting better. And keep improving and the future’s looking good.”

Wozniacki, who is yet to win a grand slam title, has appeared in only two major finals. In 2009 she lost to Kim Clijsters, also at Flushing Meadows.

This season’s four slams saw four different winners, something that will give Wozniacki hope she can go to the next stage and capture that elusive title.

She described her two weeks at the US Open as a “great run for me”.

“I played Serena who just was better than me that day. You know I just have to be happy about the way everything turned out,” the tenacious defensive player added.

In Tokyo, Wozniacki – who won the 2010 event – is seeded second while world No 8 Angelique Kerber is the top seed.

The 26-year-old German is the highest ranked player at the US$1 million (Dh3.7m) Pan Pacific Open.

It’s a big week for the pair as they seek a spot in the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore next month, which features the top eight in the women’s rankings.

“That’ll definitely be a big goal of mine,” said Wozniacki, who will also play in WTA Premier events in Wuhan, Beijing and probably Moscow before the grand finale.

The winner of 22 WTA titles has only one victory so far this year – the Istanbul Cup in July.

Her win-loss record has improved to 25-6 since a first-round exit from the French Open in May, days after a public break-up with world No 1 golfer Rory McIlroy.

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