When my opponent starts in the center, taking a corner is strategically strong. By placing my O in the top-left corner (0,0), I'm setting up potential winning lines along the diagonal (0,0 → 2,2), top row (0,0 → 0,2), and left column (0,0 → 2,0). This also prevents my opponent from potentially creating a three-corner trap. Any corner would be equally good at this point, but I'll take the top-left to maximize my options for future moves.