Caroline Wozniacki is a woman of many parts - part-time actress, magazine cover girl and marathon runner among them. Now, after more than a decade of dedicated striving, she is a grand slam champion too.
It is hardly unusual for a major winner to fall on their back and weep after clinching a match point. These fortnights bulge with intensity, after all. But Wozniacki’s emotions were particularly raw, because of the long and winding road that has carried her to this point, and the number of naysayers she has proved wrong.
“That’s one of the most positive things about all of this,” said Wozniacki, after her 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Simona Halep. “I'm never going to get that question – 'when are you going to win a slam?' – ever again. Now I'm just waiting for the question, ‘When are you going to win the second one?’
“It was such a tough grind,” Wozniacki added. “It was very hot out there. I think both of us were very tired in the end. At the same time we fought our hardest, and I'm very proud to be here with the trophy.”
At this point, Wozniacki turned to the gigantic silver tureen that is the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, and said, “Daphne here is going home with me tonight. I'll be cuddling with her.”
At the post-match ceremony, Wozniacki reserved her warmest thanks for her father Piotr – the only coach she has ever really trusted – and her fiancé David Lee. As a former NBA basketball star, Lee has become an advisor as well as an emotional support, and she credited him for calming her down before the match.
Caroline Wozniacki won her first Grand Slam title, and went to the top of the women’s rankings, after beating Simona Halep in an excellent Australian Open final
MELBOURNE - Caroline Wozniacki keluar sebagai juara di turnamen Grand Slam Australia Terbuka 2018. Pada laga final yang berlangsung di Rod Laver Arena, Sabtu (27/1/2018), petenis cantik asal Denmark itu berhasil mempermalukan Simona Halep dalam pertarungan sengit tiga set 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 Pertandingan yang mempertemukan petenis wanita peringkat satu dan dua di dunia merupakan peristiwa langka terjadi. Karena itu, Wozniacki maupun Halep sama-sama mempertontonkan penampilan terbaiknya di lapangan keras. Namun berbicara mengenai pengalaman, Wozniacki memang difavoritkan dan dia berhasil menjawab dukungan itu dengan sebuah gelar. Ini merupakan trofi bergengsi pertama yang diraih petenis berambut pirang di Australia Terbuka. Ratu Tenis Dunia Mantan kekasih Rory McIlroy dua kali mempermalukan Halep hanya dalam tempo waktu yang singkat. Pertama, Wozniacki menyudahi perlawanannya di final. Kedua, Halep bakal kehilangan statusnya sebagai ratu tenis dunia dan Wozniacki bakal mengambil alih label tersebut. Asosiasi Tenis Wanita (WTA) akan mengonfirmasi status baru Wozniacki pada Senin, (29/1/2018). Beralih ke pertandingan partai puncak. Dengan hasil positif ini, Wozniacki menerima hadiah sebesar 4 juta dollar Australia (AUD). Sementara Halep mendapatka 2 juta AUD. (bep)
Australian Open women's final: Simona Halep v Caroline Wozniacki as it happened
Updated
Caroline Wozniacki has broken through to win the Australian Open with a pulsating three-set victory over Simona Halep.
Look back at all the action and the post-match presentations in our blog.
Topics: tennis, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
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