When Caroline Wozniacki lost to Serena Williams in last year’s US Open Final, the two good friends teased each other afterward. Wozniacki said that Williams had to buy the drinks. (The two were seen out on the town together that night.) It was a warm and fuzzy moment for Wozniacki, despite the loss. She’d been getting tons of love from the New York crowds, for playing well and as moral support after golfer Rory McIlroy broke off their engagement. (McIlroy supposedly freaked out when he saw the wedding invitations.)
Today Wozniacki played Venus Williams in the finals in Auckland. Same damn results. Despite winning the first set 6-2, Wozniacki eventually lost to Venus, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Where’s the killer instinct? Same warm and fuzzy Wozniacki after this one. She said to Venus: “I had a picture of you on my phone when I was 12. You told me to stay in school. A lot has changed since then.” Well, not enough. There’s no crying in baseball and there are no friends on the tennis court. That’s what sets the Williams sisters apart from everybody else–and Serena apart from Venus, when it comes down to it. Chances are Serena even made Wozniacki pay for the drinks that night after the US Open Final–just for losing. Wozniacki needs to overcome more than Venus’ and Serena’s physical superiority. She’s got to overcome these friendships, at least while she’s on the court.
