Caroline Wozniacki Has No Answers In Loss To Julia Goerges

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JIM CAPLE via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
via
May 28, 2015, 8:59 AM ET
3 min read

— -- PARIS -- Earlier this week when Caroline Wozniacki walked into the main press room following her first-round victory at the French Open, she was delighted to see there were so few reporters gathered. That's because last year at Roland Garros, she walked into a press auditorium filled with reporters clamoring to ask about her recent breakup with Rory McIlroy.

"I like when there are people,'' she said, "but [when they're here] asking about my play and not for other reasons.''

Wozniacki need not worry about uncomfortable personal questions in front of full press rooms the rest of this tournament. After getting knocked out in the first round last year, the No. 5 seed fell in the second round here Thursday. Germany's Julia Goerges whipped Wozniacki in straight sets.

"She's given me trouble in the past and she gave me trouble again today,'' Wozniacki said after the 6-4, 7-6 (4) loss. "And that sucks.''

Indeed, while Wozniacki's defeat to the No. 72 player was an upset, it shouldn't have been completely unexpected. Goerges is ranked far below Woz, but the two are even in their head-to-head matches (4-4) and the German is 3-0 against her on clay.

"I think especially on clay she has a way to make me feel like I'm not playing very well,'' Wozniacki said. "I was really trying to do better this time than I have done in the past against her on clay, so it didn't work. Obviously, I prefer hard courts, and my game against her matches better on hard courts or on grass. I think that would be a better matchup for me.''

Goerges says she doesn't play the typical women's game on clay.

"I play a little bit more spin, a little bit higher the ball over the net than some of the other girls,'' she said. "If she gets the ball in her striking zone, she doesn't miss any, but if you give her different balls, then it's tougher for her to manage to bring the ball back with good quality.''

Wozniacki isn't the only high seed with a tough second round. Simona Halep, picked to win the tournament by many, was routed in straight sets Wednesday by Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. No. 4 Petra Kvitova had a close call Thursday, trailing 2-1 in the third set before rallying to beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2.