Former world No. 1 and two-time US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki played the final match of her 15-year career Friday, showing one last time the trademark fighting spirit that became the hallmark of her game.
The 29-year-old fell to Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, in the third round in Melbourne, the site of Wozniacki’s lone Grand Slam singles title in 2018.
The loss puts a cap on an illustrious career that saw Wozniacki win 30 WTA singles titles and spend a total of 71 weeks at the top of the rankings.
“There's a lot of emotions, a lot of things I can't compartmentalize now,” Wozniacki said after the match. “A lot of excitement. A little sadness. Just, you know, flashbacks to since I was a kid to this moment.
“The fact that it's gone so quick but at the same time it feels like I've been out here for a long time, it's been very special. Players come up to me and congratulating me. Just feeling the love from everyone has been very special.”
Wozniacki won at least one title each season for 11 consecutive years between 2008 and 2019, and she collected 635 career match wins across all levels, including 120 at majors.
The Dane, who finished as the year-end No. 1 in both 2010 and 2011, became world No. 1 on Oct. 11, 2010, the first Scandinavian player to earn that distinction, and just the 20th different woman in the Open era.
Wozniacki made her Grand Slam debut in 2006, when she played in the Wimbledon qualifying tournament, where she lost in the first round.
She made her main-draw major debut in Paris the following year and has missed just one major—the 2016 French Open—in her 15-year career.
Wozniacki showed plenty of promise as a teenager, reaching the fourth round of both the Australian Open and US Open in 2008 and Wimbledon in 2009. But it was in New York City later that summer that she had her breakout run.
Two months after celebrating her 19th birthday, Wozniacki contested her first major final, losing to Clijsters, 7-5, 6-3, after a memorable US Open run that included a come-from-behind win over Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round and a quarterfinal victory over that year’s Cinderella story, Melanie Oudin.
The Big Apple continued to hold a special place in her heart. Wozniacki returned to the semifinals in both 2010 and 2011, and she reached her second career Slam final in 2014, defeating Maria Sharapova in Round 4 before falling to close friend Serena Williams, 6-3, 6-3, in the championship match.
After losing in the 2016 US Open semifinals to eventual champion Angelique Kerber, critics continued to ask whether she would ever get over the hump; whether she would be one of those players, like Dinara Safina, Jelena Jankovic and Amelie Mauresmo, to be ranked No. 1 without ever winning a major.
For all of her success at Flushing Meadows, it was in Melbourne in 2018 that Wozniacki finally got the major trophy her career so richly deserved.
Having not been to the second week of the Australian Open since 2012, Wozniacki was not necessarily high on the list of pundits’ picks to win the title, despite being the No. 2 seed behind only Simona Halep.
Five different women had won the past five majors, with 2017 French Open champ Jelena Ostapenko and 2017 Wimbledon winner Garbiñe Muguruza both spoken about as title contenders. But it was Wozniacki who came through the field, eventually defeating Halep in a three-set thriller, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, to capture the title.
A popular player among fans and her peers, Wozniacki fought back tears Friday night during an on-court interview, during which a video montage was played on the big screens throughout Melbourne Arena. Players shared their memories of the Dane, citing her fighting spirit and infectious personality.
Wozniacki’s father and coach Piotr lifted her off her feet for an extended hug, as her mother Anna, brother Patrik and husband David Lee also had to wipe away tears.
“I think you never know how you're going to react or what's going to happen until the last ball is hit," Wozniacki said.
"I think what happened today was perfect. It was a packed stadium. People stood up. There was 'Sweet Caroline' through the microphones. People were clapping. I had the Danish flag at my back. I had my family there. I had people closest to me were all here or watching on TV and supporting me. I don't think I could have scripted it any better. I think it was the perfect moment.”
