TORONTO — As Serena Williams sat down to chat with reporters before the Rogers Cup, her first two questions came from close friend Caroline Wozniacki.
"So, Serena, what were you up to last night?" Wozniacki asked.
"I was with you last night," Williams responded with a big smile on her face. "We were just at the Japanese restaurant and gossiping and talking."
That's typical for Williams and Wozniacki, whose friendship has blossomed over almost a decade. Rivals on the court 11 times in that span, two of the top-five ranked tennis players in the world have only grown closer.
As Williams tries to become just the fourth woman to capture the calendar-year Grand Slam, Wozniacki is around to help take the pressure off. They don't talk about how Williams winning the U.S. Open will complete a historical pursuit, just about everything else.
"We have a life, as well," Wozniacki said Monday, as many matches at the Rogers Cup were washed out. "It's not all about tennis. It's just fun. We just have a good laugh and we never stop laughing when we're around each other. We just keep it light. It's great to have a good friend on tour, that's for sure."
Williams has sister Venus around, too, but Wozniacki has been a friend since they played in Barbados eight or nine years ago. When Wozniacki teased Williams by asking why she was the coolest person she knew, the reigning Wimbledon, French Open, Australian Open and U.S. Open champion said: "Because we're just alike, Caroline, we're just alike."
"We just get along excellent," Williams said. "You have friends, and then you have competitors. Everyone, for the most part, is just on Tour for 11 months out of the year, so it's really cool to have someone that can relate with you and understand everything you go through."
Wozniacki knows what it's like to be ranked No. 1 in the world, but she hasn't been nearly as dominant as Williams, who may go down as the best women's tennis player in history. Wozniacki has never won a Grand Slam, either, and has lost to her in the U.S. Open final twice, most recently last year.
"It was special for both of us," the 25-year-old from Denmark said. "I think we were both nervous going into the finals. She was better than me that day, and that's really it."
The 33-year-old Williams, with her 21 Grand Slam titles and more than 15 years of elite play, is an intimidating presence to most opponents. Not to Wozniacki.
"I don't think you'll be great friends with someone who's intimidating you," she said. "On the court, there's no hard feelings. We just go out there and do our job. ... We do our best. That's what makes it fun."
During the 1980s, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert were on-court rivals but maintained their friendship outside of work. Wozniacki and Williams hope the same is true for them.
"Oh 100 per cent," Wozniacki said. "We're definitely going to be friends, even after our tennis careers. There's no doubt about it."
Notes -- In the first match of the day on centre court at the Rogers Cup, Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski lost in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, to Italy's Flavia Pennetta. ... Richmond Hill Ont.'s Carol Zhao was supposed to face American Madison Brengle, but that match was postponed by rain.
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