Wozniacki to start 2012 tennis season in Sydney

 　　COPENHAGEN, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- World No. 1 women's tennis player Caroline Wozniacki starts her 2012 tennis season at the Sydney International in Australia for the fourth consecutive¹ year, according to Danish Media.

　　Danish Wozniacki said the 637,000 US dollar outdoor hardcourt tournament, part of the WTA circuit², would help her prepare for the Australian Open in Melbourne, next year's first grand slam³.

　　"The Sydney International is the ideal⁴ preparation for the first Grand Slam of the year," Wozniacki said Thursday.

　　"The matches there are always so tough because so many of the top players compete there so I know I will get the match practice I need before Melbourne," she added, in comments carried on the Sydney tournament's website.

　　The Sydney International also features Chinese Li Na, who won the event's 2011 edition and the French Open, as well as US Open champion Samantha Stosur of Australia.

　　Wozniacki's best result in the Sydney International came in the quarterfinals in 2009, when she lost to American Serena Williams.

　　Wozniacki, 21, finishes 2011 ranked world No. 1 for the second year running, but is yet to win a Grand Slam title in her career.

　　She told Danish media Wednesday that she will put all her efforts into winning a Grand Slam title and an Olympic Games medal, in 2012.

　　She will play doubles in the Hopman Cup prior⁵ to the Sydney International, which runs Jan. 8 to 14.

1 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

2 circuit   

n.电路，线路；环行，环行道

参考例句：

• Join those two ends of wire and you'll make a circuit.把那两个导线连接起来即构成一个电路。
• Where does this line tie in with the main circuit?这条线在哪里跟主线路连接在一起呢？

3 slam   

v.猛力地推、放或扔；砰地关上

参考例句：

• They were surprised by the slam of a car door.关汽车门时发出的声音使他们很吃惊。
• Why should you slam the window?你干吗要使劲关窗户呢？

4 ideal   

adj.理想的，完美的；空想的，观念的；n.理想

参考例句：

• The weather at the seaside was ideal—bright and breezy.海边的天气最宜人，风和日丽的。
• They promised to be faithful to their ideal for ever. 他们保证永远忠于自己的理想。

5 prior   

adj.更重要的，较早的，在先的；adv.居先；n.小修道院院长；大修道院副院长

参考例句：

• The duty to protect my sister is prior to all others.保护我的妹妹是我最重要的责任。
• I took up one-year prior course in German in this college.我在这所大学读了一年的德语预科。