Where Does Wozniacki Go From Here?

Wozniacki's much disputed reign at the top of the WTA rankings came to an end in January, when her loss in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, collaborated with Azarenka's run to the title, saw the Belorussian become the new world number 1. Although at the time the Dane threatened to reclaim her crown, so far she failed to even stay in contention.

After failing to defend her titles at Indian Wells, Dubai and, most heartbreakingly, in Copenhagen, and a disappointing third round exit to Kaia Kanepi at the French, the popular Dane has slipped to 7 in the rankings. The problem with her is that she does not have the weapons to hurt the big hitting players. This is actually why she has not won a Grand Slam yet. Even when she dominated the tour, claiming title after title, on the big occassions there was always someone to stop her quest. 

With a new addition to her team, i.e. the former Australian Open champion, Swede Thomas Johansson, Wozniacki was hoping to make an impression during the grass-court season. Her game betrayed her once again though. Even though she won the Eastbourne title in 2009, Caroline has never felt at ease on a surface on which her defensive game is not really efficient. She lost first round in Eastbourne to tenacious American, Christina McHale, and, most worring, she succumbed to revigorated Austrian, Tamira Paszek, at Wimbledon.

Although many were expecting the loss of her number 1 status to actually help Caroline fulfill her potential, it seems the blow has actually crushed her confidence and shattered her game. It remains to be seen if she would be able to reconstruct herself and restore her invincibility aura. There's one thing to be considered though, the game seems to belong to hard-fitters. The likes of Sharapova, Azarenka, Kvitova or the Williams sisters are the main contestants to win the big prizes and there are few who can battle them, the last exception being crafty Italian, Francesca Schiavone, who took home the 2010 Roland Garros.

As far as Wozniacki is concerned, she definitely needs to adjust something as soon as possible. However, I am not sure with what weapons she can come up to stand a chance against such powerful rivals. As things have unfolded since January, her promise of regaining her number 1 position until the end of the year seems far-fetched. If she regains her consistency, she might making it back into the top 4, even win a Slam if she's lucky (Stosur did it, Schiavone did it, even Sara Errani played a Grand Slam final), but she surely does not have the pedigree of a legendary champion. This could be a huge blow for all the companies that invested enormeously in acquiring her image.

Caroline's Grand Slam ambition hit rock bottom after she lost first round at Wimbledon 7-5,6-7,4-6 to rejuvenated Austrian, Tamira Paszek.

photos: GETTY IMAGES