Stars get set for big Qatar Total Open 2018 action at Khalifa Complex

DOHA, November 12, 2018 - When two-time finalist in Doha, Caroline Wozniacki lost in the 2017 Qatar Total Open final to Karolina Pliskova in straight sets last February she was clearly annoyed with herself."Well, it's a tournament I've never won. Clearly, I'm a little bit disappointed right now," she had said then.

Fast forward to 2018: Back to one of her favourite hunting grounds, the Dane now carries the glow of Daphne (Australian Open 2018 trophy) besides the World No. 1 crown on her head. Adding the Golden Falcon trophy to that list will once again be on her mind as she will begin her Qatar Total Open 2018 campaign at the Khalifa International tennis & Squash Complex.

On Sunday though, the always-smiling and soft speaking Wozniacki insisted that despite last month's breakthrough Grand Slam triumph her life has not changed in the slightest. Speaking ahead of the Doha tournament, which begins on Monday, she said,"Life hasn't changed at all. Life is the same. Still the same when I go back on the practice courts, I still have things that I need to work on and I still get stuff from my dad saying move your feet, do this.

"So, nothing has changed in that regard." With a spring in her step, Wozniacki, however, would want to better her final appearances in Doha and lift the trophy.

She is among nine of the 10 best women players in the world and top-seeded which means she could meet number two seed Simona Halep of Romania in next Sunday's final, once again after the Australian Open.

Before that, Wozniacki, who has a first round bye and is awaiting the winner of the all-German clash Tatjana Maria and Carina Witthoeft in the second on Wednesday, has former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova in her path. The five-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova has been granted a wildcard and will start first up against Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu in the first round on Monday. Wozniacki shrugged off a potentially hard week ahead, claiming not to have looked at the draw beyond the first round.

"I'm excited for the challenge, and at the end of the day I think I'm just going to go out there, have fun and see what happens," she said. Former Australian Open champion and ex-top ranked player in the world Germany's Angelique Kerber could meet Wozniacki in the quarter-finals. Kerber, after a disappointing 2017 which saw her fail to get past the fourth round in any major, said she is back to the form of 2016, which saw her claim two Grand Slams.

"I'm able to play my game again, that I can fight," she said addressing the media here on Sunday. "And yeah, having my tennis back, my motivation and everything what I had like two years ago." Only world number eight Venus Williams, playing in the Fed Cp with sister Serena, is missing in Doha from the top 10.

But there are also players just outside those rankings who will make the field extra competitive, including Britain's Johanna Konta, world No. 11, Kristina Mladenovic of France and No. 20 Elise Mertens of Belgium. The courts are expected to play much faster than last year's rain-affected tournament.

That will provide a contrast for Ukrainian Elina Svitolina who said she had spent time between the Australian Open and Qatar Total Open 2018 in London and Paris.

Meanwhile, Catherine Bellis of US, Naomi Osaka of Japan, Czdech Marketa Vondrousova, Duan Ying-Ying of China, Pera Bernarda of US, Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine, Anna Blinkova of Russia and Romanian Monica Niculescu completed the main draw from the qualifying rounds.

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