Battling Caroline Wozniacki survives Sydney scare

THERE is no closely-guarded secret to Caroline Wozniacki’s grit, no private belief she clings to in moments of despair on a tennis court. The reason for her dogged determination is as prosaic as they come: “I hate losing”.

The Dane issued that matter-of-fact explanation after narrowly avoiding a shock defeat at the Sydney International yesterday, a defeat which would have deprived the tennis world of an expected shootout with Petra Kvitova for the world No 1 ranking.

The Sydney International is being billed as a battle for the top spot currently held by Denmark’s Wozniacki. The Czech Republic’s world No 2 Kvitova will overtake Wozniacki if she wins the final on Ken Rosewall Arena on Friday night but the script very nearly went out the window when both players were staring at unexpected losses in blustery, hot conditions at the Sydney Olympic Tennis Centre.

Wozniacki trailed 4-0 in the final set against Slovakia’s world No 18 Dominika Cibulkova before peeling off six straight games to record a determined if unconvincing 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 victory. “I hate losing,” Wozniacki said bluntly afterwards. “That’s what I put it down to. I just hate to lose. I always do everything I can to win a game. I want to stand in the end as the winner having won the last point.”

Wozniacki snuck into a quarter-final against Agnieszka Radwanska. Poland’s world No 8 edged German world No 10 Andrea Petkovic 7-5, 6-4.

Kvitova, an asthma sufferer, appeared fatigued and breathless in the stifling conditions but held on for a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 win against Romania’s world No 66 Alexandra Dulgheru. “It’s my first match of the tournament and my first match outdoors this year,” Kvitova said. “I have to get used to these conditions with the wind and the sun. I still have a long way to go.”

Kvitova next meets Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova after the world No 21 downed Italian world No 11 Francesca Schiavone 7-5, 6-1.

World No 5 Li Na was another big name to survive a scare, recovering from a slow start to eclipse South African Chanelle Scheepers 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. Also through to the quarter-finals is Marion Bartoli after the Frenchwoman’s 6-0, 6-3 defeat of Australian Jelena Dokic.

In men’s matches, fifth-seeded Viktor Troicki of Serbia beat former No 1 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and eighth-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic defeated Xavier Malisse of Belgium 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4. Julien Benneteau of France beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-4 and former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus defeated Russian Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-4.

In Auckland meanwhile, American teenager Ryan Harrison beat his more experienced compatriot Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-3 yesterday to advance to the second round of the Heineken Open. French qualifer Adrian Mannarino ousted fifth-seeded South African Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-3 while eighth-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber struggled past Swiss qualifer Stephan Bohli 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.