WIMBLEDON, England (AP) Starting to sound like a broken record, Caroline Wozniacki had to explain again why the top-ranked woman in tennis can't win a Grand Slam title.
After coming up short Monday - wasting a one-set lead before losing 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 to 24th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova in the fourth round at Wimbledon - it's clear that the 20-year-old Dane is getting tired of justifying her credentials.
To be honest, I don't really care what people think or say or do,'' said Wozniacki, who has played in only one major final, losing to Kim Clijsters in the championship match at the 2009 U.S. Open.You know, I cannot really do anything now. I did my best and it wasn't good enough.''
Wozniacki was the first to admit that she had herself to blame for failing to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time.
The Dane breezed through the first set in only 24 minutes, and was up a break in the third, leading 2-0. But she was broken three times the rest of the way in a seesaw decider, including going down 6-5. Cibulkova then served out the match, converting her third match point with a forehand winner.
It's kind of disappointing because when you're up 2-love with a break and have a lot of break points that you don't convert, that's kind of your own fault,'' Wozniacki said.I was there. I should have taken my chance.''
Wozniacki became No. 1 in October, but isn't the first top-ranked woman to struggle in Grand Slams. Dinara Safina and Jelena Jankovic never won a major title either, and many still see the Williams sisters as the top players in women's tennis - although both Venus and Serena were also eliminated Monday after struggling with injuries.
It's not easy when you compare to Serena Williams, because she was the best player and she was just really tough to play. She had so many Grand Slam titles,'' Cibulkova said.Caroline is now compared to the other No. 1s. She never won a Grand Slam, and that's what they ask her all the time, when is she going to win a Grand Slam. But if I would be No. 1, you know, I'm No. 1. It's also not easy to be there.''
Cibulkova seemed to struggle with her nerves in the first set, when she was broken twice - double-faulting on break point each time.
But she found her rhythm in the second and dictated play on most long baseline rallies, repeatedly forcing the Dane from corner to corner on Court 2, where temperatures reached 93 degrees.
That's the way how you should play against Wozniacki because she's just great,'' said Cibulkova, who will play Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals.Today I had to take all or nothing. After the first set I realized, I have to go for my shots 100 percent or anyway I have no chance. That's how I started to play, and I was really going for everything.''
Wozniacki had to save two set points at 6-5 to force the tiebreaker, where she fell behind 6-4 after Cibulkova hit a forehand winner down the line.
The Slovakian finally converted her fourth set point with a strong forehand that Wozniacki lunged to reach, but only managed to loft long.
She just goes for everything,'' Wozniacki said of the hard-hitting Cibulkova.She doesn't hold back. So if it goes in, it's tough. But we had a lot of long rallies, a lot of good points, and unfortunately I didn't win today.''
Wozniacki will next play in the clay-court tournament in Bastad, Sweden. After that, she will take a break to get ready for the hard court season, and her next shot at a Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open. What she'll be working on during that break, though, is still up in the air.
I haven't really thought about that yet,'' she said.I was still hoping I was going to be in the tournament after today.''