Wozniacki more focused on McIlroy than ranking

After saying she was unaware that Petra Kvitova would overtake her as the world No 1 if the Czech left-hander won this week’s Sydney International, Wozniacki then proceeded to answer a stream of questions about McIlroy. The highest-profile couple in sport are constantly photographed together, talk about each other in interviews, boast about the gifts they share and write to each other – for the world to see – on Twitter nearly every day. “It’s very difficult to keep it really private because everyone knows who we are,” Wozniacki said of the relationship. “People are interested. I don’t mind if there’s a camera here or there but we do have a line where certain things are private.

“Something might come up and we say OK, we’re going to keep this to ourselves. The rest is no big deal. Like, we have little bets. We had one bet about who was going to win a tournament first, and I did. Right now we don’t have any bets going on, though. I just think it’s great that he’s doing so well. I’m really happy for him.”

Wozniacki declined to reveal her prize for winning the bet but suggested it might have entailed a photograph of Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, a Manchester United supporter, in the team shirt of her favourite English Premier League side, Liverpool.

Wozniacki wore a Liverpool shirt on court at the 2011 Qatar Open. “I can’t tell you what I won,” she said. “It’s something I had to put on Twitter but I didn’t do it because I thought I should be nice. Actually, I still have that ace in my hand in case he’s not nice to me.

“We’re big fans of different football clubs, let’s just put it that way.”

Wozniacki and Kvitova have first-round byes at the start of a week that could end with the Dane’s 64-week stay as No 1 coming to an end. Asked if she was aware of that, Wozniacki replied: “No. Now I am. It doesn’t really matter. I do what I’m best at and that is playing tennis.”