• Australian Open

Wozniacki gunning for a hole-in-one in Melbourne

Caroline Wozniacki can learn from boyfriend Rory McIlroy © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Clijsters finds devastating form as Wozniacki prevails
  
• Features: Fed extends Laver streak, Marathon Man strikes again
  
• News: Nadal cruises as Federer is handed a walkover
  
• News: What They Said
  
• Profile: Rory McIlroy | Caroline Wozniacki

ESPN will be providing extensive coverage of the Australian Open, with live scores, commentary and analysis and you can follow it all with our live scorecentre

Caroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy are the 21st century's answer to Greg Norman and Chris Evert.

They are the most marketable pair in sport. Wozniacki, the world No.1 tennis player, and US Open champion McIlroy, widely regarded to be the most talented golfer since Tiger Woods.

World No. 3 McIlroy envies Wozniacki, who sits at the top of the world rankings, while he has something she craves: a major.

The Dane has occupied top spot in the world rankings for the best part of the last 14 months, but she remains a part of a small undesirable club of three featuring Jelena Jankovic and Dinara Safina, who have been world No. 1 without winning a grand slam. (Kim Clijsters and Amelie Mauresmo used to be part of the club, but have won grand slams since their first ascent to the top of the world rankings).

Since hooking up with McIlroy after he came to watch her play at Wimbledon, Wozniacki has tried her hand at golf, and has begun picking up tips from her boyfriend. While both golf and tennis are inherently individual sports, Wozniacki does not believe there is much in common between the two.

"It's a completely different atmosphere," she said. "Over there when you're at a golf tournament, it's more relaxed and a gentlemen's sport, I think. People help out each other when they play with each other because they play against the course. It's up to them. They don't have really an opponent that they have to fight."

In their approach to their individual sports, McIlroy and Wozniacki could not be more different. McIlroy relies heavily on his powerful strokes but often struggles for consistency. Wozniacki, by contrast is one of the most consistent players in the women's game, but lacks the firepower to beat the top players.

While McIlroy's famous meltdown at The Masters was a complete capitulation, Wozniacki's problem is a different beast entirely. Her game is well suited to the surface in Melbourne, but against an aggressive player like Serena Williams or Petra Kvitova, the Dane's steady defensive approach is not enough.

McIlroy has caddie JP Fitzgerald by his side to hand him the appropriate club and advise him on how best to take his next shot. Wozniacki does not have the luxury of advice every time she hits the ball. But Wozniacki, who hired Spanish coach Ricardo Sanchez last month, claims she has been working on fine-tuning her game for the big occasion.

"I just try to figure out what is the best shot at the given moment and try to play ball around and not just to play at one rhythm all the time," she said.

Caroline Wozniacki is hunting her first grand slam in Melbourne © Getty Images

Enlarge

While picking the right shot at each moment is important, a perspective of the match is equally critical. While a golfer manages the course, Wozniacki admits she must learn to better manage the match and her opponent.

"I always try to just think one point at a time and what's happening now," she admitted. "But obviously the way you play will affect the match later. I mean, if you have long rallies, you need to think, 'okay, am I fitter than my opponent? Can I stay out here and grind it out for three, four hours, or do I need finish it off quicker?' Because you don't know if you can handle that.

"You need think about it, and it's also individual from player to player how you want to play and how you want to play it out. Of course, sometimes it depends on the opponent, as well, and on yourself. I mean, sometimes the opponents don't let you play the way you want to. Then you need to change to Plan B."

Having seen McIlroy in action at the Dubai World Championship at the end of last season, Wozniacki believes there are some things she can learn from her boyfriend.

"You can't really do anything about the past," she said. "You just need to look forward. You have a tournament now, and you want to do the best you can. Then if it goes well, it's great. If not, you have the next one. It's like tennis. So, you know, it's just important not to dwell too much in the past."

The longer Wozniacki goes without winning a grand slam, the more pressure she will be under. While she lacks the natural firepower of her rivals, if she can learn to better adapt her game to counter their strengths, she could follow in McIlroy's footsteps and finally clinch that first major.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.