It'll be a challenge for Wozniacki to remain world No 1 for long, says Pliskova

Karolina Pliskova became the first female player from the Czech Republic to attain the world number one ranking last year. She also reached the Dubai final in 2015. (Photo by Neeraj Murali)

Karolina Pliskova will never forget the year 2017. The powerful shot-maker became the first female player from the Czech Republic to become the world number one last year.
"It was important to get there, so I know I can do it, I'm able to play all year consistently," the current world number five told reporters in Dubai on Sunday.
"We don't have any big waves, we don't have any big upsets, which I think is quite hard to play all year like this, especially when you know there's so many good players behind you. Also having this same consistency is important," she added.
Pliskova was the sixth player to reach the top of the WTA rankings without winning a single Grand Slam. She says she is not obsessed with reclaiming the number one ranking. "I would not say I don't want to get back there, but I don't think there is so much difference to be No. 1 than to be No. 5 for me," she said.
"I think the pressure and everything is the same. You are still coming to the tournaments, like, the favourite, may not the top favorite, but still the favourite. I feel like that.
"For me it was a good experience that I was there. But ranking for me doesn't matter that much.
"Look, I was there as number one for eight weeks. It was not like I would be there for two years.
"Maybe, the pressure was a bit bigger when you are No. 1 as you are expected to win the tournaments. Otherwise for me, no difference now and back in those eight weeks," she said.
The 25-year-old Pliskova felt it would be a big challenge for Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki - the current world number one - to remain on top of the rankings table for a long time.
"For Caro (Wozniacki) right now, I think it's going to be a challenge just to stay there long. I think she's starting to play amazing, so she's going to have a chance to stay there for a couple of months, let's say," Pliskova said. "She was there before. She knows how to play. For her it's a little bit different story than for us as we were there for like a few weeks only.
"Like I said before it's so close with the points, the tournaments, that's why it's changing so much. I think it's always going to be close. For now, if Serena (Williams) is not getting back where she was, I think it's going to be like this. It will keep changing."
Pliskova went into last week's Doha tournament as the defending champion only to lose in the second round to American teenager CiCi Bellis. But she feels good to be back in Dubai where she reached the final in 2015.
"Well, I'm just happy to be back here. The weather is nice. Better than last year. So far I am enjoying my stay here. Two years back I was playing finals. For sure I have good chance to go far again," she said.
"The draw is very strong. There is not any easy match. It's going to be very tough for me in the first round," said Pliskova who is likely to face tricky Spaniard Carla Suárez Navarro in her opening game.
The 2016 US Open runner-up is happy with her performance in the New Year despite bowing out of the Australian Open in the quarterfinal stage.
"I think I started pretty solid," she said. "But having couple of matches, I think it's always good in the beginning of the season. I played some good matches. I think Australia was okay, was solid. Yeah, I had to skip Fed Cup week. I was sick. Doha was not the best. Now I'm getting better. I can feel better, play better here.
"But we are just beginning. Everything can change so quickly with one tournament, one week or two weeks. Big tournaments ahead of us. I am definitely excited."
rituraj@khaleejtimes.com