Caroline Wozniacki Leaves Door Open Despite Pilot Pen Win

In defeating Nadia Petrova, perhaps the most up-and-down player on the women's tour, Caroline Wozniacki was neither great nor horrible. Winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, Wozniacki was just good enough to win during Petrova's down periods.

The uncertainty raised by the quality of this Pilot Pen finals win, Wozniacki's third in a row, reminds us that her first seed in the US Open does not mean she is ready to win the finals.

This is not intended to take anything away from the accomplishments of this 20-year-old, or to say that winning the US Open is impossible for her this year.

Succeeding at the Pilot Pen as if she owns it, few women can equal her stamina and solid ground strokes. Her court coverage is good, although she is better approaching the net than moving side to side.

While Petrova revealed several Wozniacki problems during her loss today, by far the biggest may be that Wozniacki most often plays the third set of a match in order not to lose rather than to force a win.

With a more consistent opponent, her plans to wait for mistakes could have lost her this year's tournament.

As it was, with Petrova's game being what it is, inconsistency finally lost. But not without the clear threat of a successful offense proving too much for the already tired Wozniacki.

Will Wozniacki win the US Open?

Current betting odds favor Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters. Venus Williams will clearly be a challenge for anyone playing her.

Based on the Pilot Pen, Wozniacki does not look ready to pressure her way to a Grand Slam finals win. So the question will be whether any of these players can pressure her into a loss.

Clijsters has just that kind of game, with Williams just behind. Either one will prove a definite problem should she meet them during the tournament.