CHARLESTON, S.C.—“We’ve seen this before.” Three-time Grand Slam champion Virginia Wade told me that when Yanina Wickmayer lost her break-of-serve lead in the second set of her Friday quarterfinal with Caroline Wozniacki. It didn’t seem like much longer before the top-seeded Dane was done with her duty.
I was fortunate enough to be seated next to the 1977 Wimbledon champion that day, and we took in Wozniacki’s comeback win high above the Har-Tru. From there, Wade pointed out what Wozniacki does so well. (Yes, some people do that.) She negates her opponents’ attacks with her own outstanding groundstrokes; seamlessly transitions from defense to offense; and settles into a winning rhythm—while simultaneously putting her adversary into a losing one. For a time, the fiery Wickmayer looked like she might pull off the upset. But Wozniacki and her proven strategy soon chilled her out.
Watching Wozniacki in today’s final against Elena Vesnina—with the same view, without the legend by my side—I saw something similar unfold. Wozniacki was never behind, but Vesnina outslugged the world No. 1 in the first few games. When Wozniacki began to tighten her vise grip, Vesnina began to go for too much. At the same time, Wozniacki served confidently and radiated a degree of experience that probably played a role in this outcome, a 6-2, 6-3 win. Vesnina had yet to win a WTA singles title, and at times, it showed.
The 20-year-old showed me something else, something that should serve her well down the road: maturity. When Vesnina, facing a break point and the prospect of Wozniacki serving for the match, struck a ball long, it was originally called in. Wozniacki stopped the point and asked for the chair umpire; the call was reversed. Standing within whispering distance from the erroneous lineswoman, Wozniacki didn’t say a word.
When Wozniacki went on to hold serve without any trouble, earning herself another title, I remembered Wade’s words. Yes, we’ve seen this before. And we’ll almost certainly see it again.
—Ed McGrogan