Wozniacki cherishes her long, hard road back to the top
melbourne — Caroline Wozniacki said “nobody knows” how much hard work and sheer guts she had to put in before realising her Grand Slam dream.
Twelve years, 67 weeks at world number one, 149 Grand Slam matches, three major finals and countless disappointments were all made worthwhile on Saturday night when she was crowned Australian Open champion.
An epic 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-4 win against Simona Halep in a nearthree hour match in brutal heat and humidity also elevated her back to the top of the world rankings after a six-year hiatus, the longest gap in history between spells at the top.
“Honestly, nobody knows how much work, dedication you put into it,” she told with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy by her side.
Following Wozniacki’s second Slam final in New York in 2014, where she lost to Serena Williams, her
Obviously adding a Grand Slam to my CV is what caps it off
Caroline Wozniacki
fitness and form went on the slide.
Many observers believed she was finished and would retire, but the determined Dane had other ideas.
“All I could tell myself was: ‘You know what, you’ve given it everything you have. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen’.”
She went into the uS Open in 2016 at a lowly 74th in the world, but with her desire undiminished.
“I think just I’d been through a lot of injuries at that point,” the 27-year-old reflected.
“Then you start losing to some players who you’re not really thinking you should lose to. It’s frustrating. I was, like, hoping eventually it’s going to turn around.”
unseeded, she reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows that year, losing to eventual champion Angelique Kerber, and it kickstarted her climb back up the rankings.
even if she hadn’t won on Saturday, Wozniacki said she would be able to hold her head high.
“To be honest with you, regardless, I think I’ve had an incredible career,” she said.
“Obviously adding a Grand Slam to my CV is what caps it off.”
And she revealed she had received a royal seal of approval for the victory. “I’ve heard from the (Danish) royal family — they’ve congratulated me, they were very thrilled for me,” she said as she paraded her new trophy in Melbourne’s botanical gardens on Sunday morning. “It’s still pretty surreal. It’s been a crazy last 10 hours or so. I think I’m overwhelmed, I had an hour and a half sleep last night,” she added. —