Caroline Wozniacki started and ended her first Grand Slam success story the same way. On fire. When it was over, she lay on her back on the Rod Laver Stadium court, then cried.
Meanwhile, her dad Piotr celebrated.
It had been a long journey. More than a decade together out on the WTA Tour.
She could have been the face of the tour most of that time, if she only could have closed the deal a few times in the Grand Slams. She had the talent all along. And, of course, she had the looks to become the sweetheart of women’s tennis.
CAROLINE CAN FINALLY CELEBRATE
Admired the world over by tennis fans and celebrities alike, Wozniacki can finally celebrate as the world’s No. 1 player and a Grand Slam champion at the same time.
She did it at the expense of petite, powerful, gritty 26-year-old beauty Simona Halep. What a battle these two wonder women staged in the middle of the American night, but at a site on the bottom of the world in Melbourne, Australia.
Halep now finds herself in Wozniacki’s old shoes, hoping, training, probably praying that one day she will achieve her seemingly impossible dream of also claiming a Grand Slam tennis title.
HALEP DID EVERYTHING BUT WIN
Just like Wozniacki still has time to win more Grand Slam titles, Halep has plenty of time. The quick little, athletic Romanian did everything but win this time.
Halep was there serving two points from a 5-3 lead in the third set, only to see Wozniacki win the last three games of the match for a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4 victory in the Australian Open women’s singles final on Saturday night.
Yes, Wozniacki came through this time. The 5-10, 27-year-old blonde from Denmark had her lower left knee bandaged after losing her serve to fall behind, 4-3, in the final set. She looked out of it, her hopes shattered by a hurting knee.
NO “QUIT” IN WOZNIACKI
Halep looked fresh and confident as Wozniacki walked back out on her end of the court to receive Halep’s serves. Halep might have even felt relief that she might finally end this torrid battle in the Australian night heat on her terms with her first Grand Slam title.
But she also knew there is no “quit” in Wozniacki. Still, Halep probably never would have dreamed that she could lose her serve four times in one set against Wozniacki.
Throughout the match when Halep had her back to the wall, she turned into a human dynamo. She made impossible gets, turned them into wondrous shots. Just beautiful tennis.
And, boy, did she serve unbelievably well at times, hitting the outside line, then nailing the middle line. How could such a dainty little 5-6 player serve that way?
BANDAGED DANE WOULDN’T GO AWAY
The bandaged Dane broke through with a big forehand swinging volley and then an error by Halep to even the final set at 4-4.
Wozniacki then moved out to a 40-15 lead on her serve, double-faulted but then nailed a backhand that drew a backhand error from Halep for a 5-4 lead.
Could this be happening? Was Wozniacki actually going to pull the biggest win of her career out of her hat?
Halep cooperated with a double fault to allow Wozniacki to get to 30-30. Then on a long point, Wozniacki got control of the rally and put a shot into play to an open court. Match point.
A point later, Wozniacki was the queen of tennis. The long wait was over.
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James Beck is the long-time tennis columnist for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier newspaper. He can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com. See his Post and Courier columns at
