An emotional Caroline Wozniacki finally lifted her first Grand Slam title at the 43rd attempt as she beat Simona Halep in three energy-sapping sets to win the Australian Open on Saturday.
The Dane, who will become the new world number one, burst into tears as she secured the championship 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-4 against the battling Romanian top seed on her first match point of a gruelling, epic encounter.
“I’ve dreamt of this moment for so many years,” said second seeded Wozniacki after becoming the first player from Denmark to win a Grand Slam.
WHAT. A. MATCH.@CaroWozniacki wins her maiden Grand Slam with victory against Simona #Halep in the #AusOpen Women's Final!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2018
🇩🇰🏆 pic.twitter.com/ZbofMHgjAQ
For Wozniacki, victory meant shedding, at last, the unwanted moniker of best player never to win a major, having reached the US Open final in 2009 and 2014, and first becoming number one in 2010.
The win for the “Sunshine” player was widely celebrated all over social media, with the tennis community cheering her on. The fact that she almost lost in the second round, and had to save match points to reach the final made her victory even more incredible.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to her win:
-67 weeks at No.1
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2018
-WTA Finals champ
-Australian Open champ
-27 WTA titles
That's a decent CV you're building, @CaroWozniacki 😉#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/e85WxRjfMB
this cannot be emphasized enough:
— Ricky Dimon (@Dimonator) January 27, 2018
Caroline Wozniacki just won the Australian Open. She was down *5-1, 40-15* in the 3rd set in the 2nd round.
Congratulations @CaroWozniacki
— Thomas Bjorn (@thomasbjorngolf) January 27, 2018
Biggest achievement by a Danish athlete ever!!
You make your country so proud
🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰
Wozniacki will return to No.1 six years to the day she left it in 2012. Symmetry much? #AusOpen
— 𝒟𝒶𝓋𝒾𝒹 𝒦𝒶𝓃𝑒 (@DKTNNS) January 27, 2018
The tennis community hailed the Dane
I got too nervous to watch but woke up to @CaroWozniacki new number one and aussie open champ. So awesome. So happy. Are those tears? Yup they are. 😭 from a year ago to today I'm so proud my friend so proud. Literally can't even sleep now
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) January 27, 2018
Congratulations to both @CaroWozniacki and @Simona_Halep for gutsy performances tonight and welcome to the Major Winner Club,Caro:), and #1 again!!! https://t.co/LiGWkHNgzA
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) January 27, 2018
Congratulations @CaroWozniacki - welcome to the Club.
— Rod Laver (@rodlaver) January 27, 2018
A wonderful advert for women’s tennis. 💥 https://t.co/6r4Fto8MaA
— judy murray (@JudyMurray) January 27, 2018
What a final of the @AustralianOpen thank you @Simona_Halep and @CaroWozniacki for this amazing fight. Congratulations to both of you #womentennisrocks
— Conchita Martínez (@conchitamartinz) January 27, 2018
I think one of the best women's final I ever seen. Talking about incredible fighters on the court tonight. I am so sad one had to lose because they both were beyond AMAZING!!! @Simona_Halep @CaroWozniacki @AustralianOpen @EurosportFrance #AusOpen #Wozniacki #Halep pic.twitter.com/ErOfw5x0md
— Marion bartoli (@bartoli_marion) January 27, 2018
World #1 ✅
— Bethanie MattekSands (@BMATTEK) January 27, 2018
Grand Slam Champ ✅ @CaroWozniacki YOU earned it!!! 🏆 #AusOpen
Ecstatic for @CaroWozniacki! Well deserved! But gutted for @Simona_Halep. Knew this outcome would bring up extreme contrasting emotions w/ 1st major on line for both well liked ladies. @WTA #lifechanging
— Tracy Austin (@thetracyaustin) January 27, 2018
Big congrats to @CaroWozniacki for finally capturing her first grand slam title.🏆👏👏👏 #AusOpen
— Jonas Bjorkman (@BjorkmanTennis) January 27, 2018
What an #ausopen final 👏🏽 two absolutely incredible athletes and fighters. Im so emosh right now for both of them 😢
— Heather Watson (@HeatherWatson92) January 27, 2018
Cahill congratulating Caro. pic.twitter.com/H0H2l96vNk
— Del (@Stroppa_Del) January 27, 2018
How good was that match?! Women’s tennis keeping everyone on the edge of their seat! Congratulations to both @CaroWozniacki and @Simona_Halep - Thank you for representing us in such a remarkable way on and off the court! What a tournament.💞🎾@AustralianOpen @WTA
— Shelby Rogers (@Shelby_Rogers_) January 27, 2018
A word on the incredible match
This is legit ridiculous. The refusal of both these women to not let up is just incredible. Inspiring. #AusOpen #Halep #Wozniacki #7Tennis
— Meg Hutchins (@hutchy_25) January 27, 2018
Caroline Wozniacki was the world No 74 in September 2016 and stopped caring about the rankings. On Monday, she will be back to world No 1 for the first time in six years. This quote from Singapore in October... https://t.co/RVRJOIjZBs pic.twitter.com/MEeBUVEaSP
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) January 27, 2018
Both Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep deserve their first major. So I hope the #AusOpen women’s final just goes on forever, each never losing, and both not not winning their first Grand Slam for eternity. It’s the only fair way
— Kaitlyn McGrath (@kaitlyncmcgrath) January 26, 2018
Halep was the player of the tournament, but Wozniacki stepped it up and went for her shots again at 3-4 in the third.
— Kamakshi Tandon (@Kamakshi_Tandon) January 27, 2018
