Caroline Wozniacki says marathon training helps her game
NEW YORK – The crowd roared after Caroline Wozniacki's fourth-round victory at the U.S. Open on Sunday. They roared because it was a terrific match, one that ended with the upset of the higher-ranked player and industry that is Maria Sharapova.
Perhaps fans recalled that Wozniacki was a 2009 finalist here or they felt for her after all those stories about her public breakup with former fiancé Rory Mcilroy.
Mostly though, going by decibels, they roared because of the New York Marathon. Wozniacki announced in late July that she will run the 26.2 miles on Nov. 2 for the New York Road Runner Team for Kids charity.
Turns out it's a big deal. "As far as we know she's the first professional athlete in season that is training for a marathon," says Chris Weiller, vice president of media and public relations of the New York Road Runners (NYRR). The nonprofit owns and operates the marathon and provides free youth programs for more than 200,000 kids.
Weiller acknowledges it's hard to be sure she's the first pro athlete in season to train for a marathon, but he asked officials from other major marathons, including Boston, Chicago, London, Berlin and Tokyo. No one could think of another athlete. Others have trained for marathons but out of season or after their careers, including tennis players Amelie Mauresmo and Kimiko Date Krumm.
It seems running has been beneficial for Wozniacki. Great defense over three sets and two and a half hours helped her get the win, and she acknowledged marathon training may have helped. She later added, "It's hard work. I run a lot already in my training, so to put those extra miles in, I think it helps my head. I feel more free when I go on court."
Whether the reason is running, a breakup or just hard work, Wozniacki has demonstrated a resurgence this summer. Once world No. 1 – she held that spot for 67 weeks, longer than any active player but Serena Williams – she dropped to No. 18 earlier this year. Since a first-round French Open loss though, she's posted a record of 23-5. Two of those losses were close three-setters against current No. 1 Williams.
With her win Sunday, the 10th seed Wozniacki reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in more than two years. She'll face 13th seed Sara Errani.
Errani it turns out is not a runner. She knows Wozniacki's running a marathon and knows she herself wouldn't do that. "No, no, never. I hate running… My coach did last winter, and it's every day, 'I made the marathon, I made the marathon.' I don't like to run, so it would be impossible for sure. Maybe one day, but I don't think so." Errani smiled but she meant it.
Sharapova noted that Wozniacki played well, retrieved well and made her hit a lot of balls back. Perhaps training for a marathon has helped? "I can only speak for myself," she said. "I know if I was getting ready for a marathon it wouldn't help me, but everyone is different." Sharapova laughed, but she also meant it.
Even before Wozniacki began preparing for a marathon, she was a runner, often incorporating running into her training. Said Weiller, "It wasn't as though Caroline was on the running scene – she's more of a recreational runner that uses it as part of her tennis training – but she loves to run."
More than 50,000 will race in the New York marathon, with 7,000 raising money for charity. Wozniacki will be one of those. NYRR's Team for Kids supports free running programs for more than 100,000 New York City elementary and middle school children.
Part of the appeal of the marathon and charity is likely this city. "I think she has a connection and a real love for NYC," said Weiller, noting Wozniacki has an apartment here.
If Wozniacki has a time goal, she's not saying. Mauresmo ran the 2010 New York marathon in 3:40, and Date-Krumm ran the 2004 London marathon in 3:30.
The race takes place a week after Wozniacki's season ends. In the meantime she has tennis to focus on and was asked if the running is tough on the body right now. "To be honest, tennis is tough on your body – I think all of us wake up every morning and something is hurting," she said. "But at the same time, I have done a lot of running… So I think my team looked and said, 'Look, she's so excited about this. She's doing it for charity. She's so pumped about it.' So they just said, 'Go for it. You only live once.'
"You know, tick off as many things on your bucket list as possible."
She admitted that she's had to cut down on her running during the Open. "I felt like I ran quite a bit out there in my match, so I think that's decent preparation," she rationalized. She added that she's staying in the city after the tournament and will attend New York Fashion Week but also run quite a bit in Central Park.
For now as much as she loves running, she has some other things to take care of this week. "I have a pretty big tournament here that I kind of want to try and win," she said.