Caroline Wozniacki finally free of questions about when she’d win her first grand slam

FOR years Caroline Woznaicki has had to put up with questions about when she’d win her first grand slam title after being world No.1 for 67 weeks. Finally she’s free of the sniggering and constant criticism.

Caroline Wozniacki celebrates her triumph at a photo shoot at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Picture: Getty

OF all the immense Australian Open spoils, two stood out for Caroline Wozniacki — and neither had anything to do with money or fame.

After 42 failed attempts and years of being smeared as a “journeyman player”, the amiable Dane finally discovered credibility. And immunity.

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Credibility as the sport’s newest grand slam champion after a 7-6 7-(2) 3-6 6-4 win over gallant Simona Halep and immunity from backhanded barbs over reaching world No.1 without winning a major.

At 27, and with many speculating the baseliner’s best was behind her, Wozniacki returns to world No.1 on Monday after a record six-year absence.

She returns to the throne, having obliterated doubts and doubters.

As polite as she is, the right-hander has had the last word.

Caroline Wozniacki celebrates her triumph at a photo shoot at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Picture: Getty

“That’s one of the most positive things about all of this,” she said. “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?’

“I’m just proud I will never hear ‘You were No.1 but never won a grand slam again’.

“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’.

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“I think you always, at certain points, especially when you start having injuries and stuff, you start maybe doubting if you’re ever going to be 100 per cent healthy for longer periods of time.

“But I think for a year and a half, I’ve proved that I can beat anyone out there on court. But when you’re in the finals, I’m not going to lie, I was really nervous before going out there.”

Beaten in US Open finals by Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams, Wozniacki was last year smeared by Maria Sharapova’s agent Max Eisenbud.

Caroline Wozniacki defeated Simona Halep in three sets to claim her maiden grand slam title. Picture: Michael Klein

Irritated by Wozniacki’s comments about Sharapova’s confected return from a doping ban, Eisenbud labelled her a “journeyman player”, suggesting Sharapova’s absence from the French Open represented her “last chance to win a slam.”

Almost to a person, including Halep’s coach Darren Cahill, who hugged the Dane post-match, nobody begrudged Wozniacki the uplifting drought-breaker.

Like Halep, she has been through emotional and physical mills, having slipped to No.74 in 2017 because of injury.

“I think just I’d been through a lot of injuries at that point. Then you start losing to some players who you’re not really thinking you should lose to. It’s frustrating,” she said.

“You start doubting if you’re ever going to be 100 per cent healthy for longer periods of time, but I think last year, already for a year and a half, I’ve proved that I can beat anyone out there on court.”

Simona Halep was disappointed to lose another slam final.

But still managed to crack a smile.

Halep will this week undergo MRI on her left ankle and both feet.

The Romanian has now lost three major finals yet she remains revealingly upbeat.

“I can still smile,” she said. “I cried, but now I’m smiling. It is just a tennis match in the end. I’m really sad I couldn’t win it.

“I was close again, but the gas was over in the end. She was better. She was fresher.

“I was really tired. I had so many problems at my feet, pain everywhere. But I think I did pretty well with all the things that were going on.

“My coach (Cahill) said that he’s really proud of me, of what I’ve done this tournament. He said that I’ve been the best mentally and physically, fighting until the end. Now I take a break, long.

“How long, I don’t tell you.”