AT LAST, WOZNIACKI IS 1ST IN A MAJOR
27-year-old seals first Grand Slam title with win over Halep
Caroline Wozniacki’s Australian Open women’s singles finals victory Saturday over Simona Halep also will make her No. 1 in the upcoming world rankings.
MELBOURNE, Australia — For all her success in tennis, from holding the No. 1 ranking for more than a year to winning 27 titles, one question had plagued Caroline Wozniacki’s career.
Did she have what it takes to win a major?
It took 43 Grand Slam tournaments and two failed attempts in finals before Wozniacki ended her drought with a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4 win over top-seeded Simona Halep in the Australian Open final Saturday night.
Only three women have taken longer to achieve their major breakthrough, a list topped by 2015 U.S. Open winner Flavia Pennetta (49).
“One of the most positive things about all of this — I’m never going to get that question again,” the 27-year-old Wozniacki said as she clung to the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. “I’m just waiting for the question ‘When are you going to win the second one?’”
So more than eight years after appearing in her first Grand Slam final at the 2009 U.S. Open — a straight-sets loss to Kim Clijsters — Wozniacki has finally erased the “but never won a major” footnote on her résumé.
“Obviously adding a Grand Slam to my CV is what caps it off … shows my whole career as a whole,” Wozniacki said.
She’ll also regain the top ranking next week for the first time in six years — beating Serena Williams’ record of 5 years, 29 days between stints at No. 1 on the women’s tour — in another benefit of beating the top-seeded Halep.
Wozniacki lost two U.S. Open finals — in ’09 and 2014 — and Halep lost two French Open finals before their meeting at Melbourne Park.
It set up a first major final in the Open era between players ranked No. 1 and 2 who had never won a Grand Slam title.
Also, it was the first time that both Australian Open finalists had saved match points en route to the final.
In Halep’s case, she was the first player who had saved match points in multiple matches. She saved triple match point in the third set to beat Laura Davis 15-13 in the third set of her third-round match. She also saved match points in her semifinal against Angelique Kerber.
The 2-hour, 49-minute final featured long, absorbing rallies, some gritty defense, a combined 65 clean winners and 10 service breaks.
“I know that today is a tough day,” said Wozniacki, acknowledging Halep’s quest for a major. “I’m sorry I had to win today but I’m sure we’ll have many matches in the future. Incredible match, incredible fight. And again, I’m sorry.”
MEN: Roger Federer was aiming for his 20th Grand Slam singles title when he met No. 6-seeded Marin Cilic in the singles finale that was scheduled to start today at 1:30 a.m. MT.
Federer beat Cilic in the Wimbledon final last year and came in with an 8-1 career record against the 29-year-old Croatian player. It’s the one loss that bothers him, though.
He remembers his sole loss to Cilic all too well, a straight-sets defeat at the 2014 U.S. Open. “He crushed me in that semifinal,” Federer said. “He beat me badly.”
Cilic went on to win the U.S. title — his only Grand Slam trophy.
Cilic has confidence, though, particularly after beating top-seeded Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals.
“I’m playing much, much more aggressive,” Cilic said. “I’m feeling that I am, for most of the shots, hitting them really, really good. From the return, moving, forehand, backhand, serving, I think everything is in good, solid spot.”