The Danish heart was pounding against her chest as Caroline Wozniacki chased her Olympic dreams with a sprinter's burst across Centre Court. When Wozniacki arrived at the third-set crossroads—a crackling 13-deuce, five break-point collision that was the fifth game—the counter puncher swung with ambition.
Wozniacki sliced a second serve ace out wide to earn her 10th game point and drew a forehand error to end a grueling 18-minute game. Often derided for her defensive style, Wozniacki went for it on pivotal points in earning a physical, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Yanina Wickmayer that sent the former world No. 1 into the third round of the Olympics.
The heart-shaped pendant of the Danish flag Wozniacki wears was whirling around her neck as she careened from corner to corner, a visible reminder that Wozniacki doesn't find the finish line easily these days. This two-and-a-half hour baseline duel was her fifth consecutive three-setter, but unlike her first-round Wimbledon loss to Tamira Paszek—when she retreated into prevent defense mode only to see her opponent light up the lines down the stretch—Wozniacki asserted her will and took the offensive initiative at crunch time. The blonde Dane fought off 10 of the 12 break points she faced and hit 38 winners compared to Wickmayer's 30.
Wozniacki took the court with a 5-0 career edge over Wickmayer. She covers the court quicker, is typically more accurate hitting on the run, and defends better, while the flatter-hitting Wickmayer is more explosive taking the first strike in rallies. Running down a drop shot, Wozniacki shoveled a running forehand winner to earn break point; she broke with a backhand dropper of her own for a 4-3 lead, ultimately closing out the 56-minute first set on her third set point.
The 6'0" Wickmayer, who looked a little stiff trying to close at net in the opener, began to swing much more freely and forcefully in bursting out to a 3-0 second-set lead. The 31st-ranked Belgian then issued her first love hold of the match for 4-1. Wickmayer began to work the width of the court with her deep drives and looked much more comfortable volleying in the second set. She has a funky two-handed backhand volley (her hands are separated slightly on the backhand) that recalls Nikolay Davydenko, but she hit a fine backhand drop volley winner to take the second set in 37 minutes.
Former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson, Wozniacki's Monte Carlo neighbor and new coaching consultant, had a serve bigger than his size suggested—perhaps he's urged his charge to go after her serve more, or maybe she's finally realized the reality that the running game can only take you so far. Whatever the cause, Wozniacki served boldly on key points. She finished with seven aces, including an ace on break point and another that gave her game point in that gripping 18-minute battle, which ended with Wozniacki holding for a 4-1 third-set lead.
A possible quarterfinal with five-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams looms if Wozniacki can get past Daniela Hantuchova and Serena beats Vera Zvonareva next.