Australian Open 2018: Caroline Wozniacki finally proves press wrong as she adds world no 1 to first Grand Slam

Last time she was no 1 she had never won a Grand Slam and was criticised for it.

Cleaning out the notebook from the 2018 Australian Open, where Caroline Wozniacki won her firstSlam.

Being one of the most popular players in tennis for the best part of a decade has never shielded Caroline Wozniacki from criticism. Ever since 2009, when the now 27-year-old Dane became world No 1 for the first time, she has grown used to dealing with barbed comments.

Wozniacki reckons she was asked one question in particular “100,000 times, probably more”. The question ran along the lines of: “How can a player be world No 1 without having won a Grand Slam title?”

Amazing #AusOpen final! Congrats on your 🏆@CaroWozniacki, well deserved return to the No. 1️⃣! Keep going @Simona_Halep! 👏🏻👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/0TtuPC20De

— Carla Suarez Navarro (@CarlaSuarezNava) January 27, 2018

Caroline Wozniacki won her first career major—and took over the top ranking—beating Simona Halep 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 in a tense final. Wozniacki is a terrific athlete, but when she resists fallback defense and dictates points, she is a superior player. Which was the case in Australia. In gaining the biggest trophy of her career, she no longer wears the lariat of “best player never to win a Slam.”

It's easy to say that Simona Halep’s misbegotten play in big matches continues to be an issue. But anyone who says that conveniently overlooks her semifinal war, as well as the assorted close calls she averted just to get the last match. Says here, she’ll get hers eventually. And if she does so with a new clothing deal, so much the better.

For as often as athletes talking about “hitting the reset button” and “rebuilding years,” Angelique Kerber has already made us—and more important, herself—forget her dismal 2017. She came within a point of reaching the final (losing the likely Match of the Year to Halep 9-7 in the third) and has already won 10 matches to start the season.

Much was made Simona Halep’s absence of a clothing contract, having parted ways with Adidas last year. No one wins here. It looks bad for all parties when the No. 1 player in the world is buying clothes off the internet. And apart from the guarantee, Halep is losing out on bonuses. A player like Wozniacki will make millions (from Adidas, ironically), both by winning Slams and finishing the year with high rankings.

As for the future, Wozniacki said she would not lack the hunger for more success. “This definitely takes a lot of pressure off me,” she said. “I just think it will give me a much nicer approach going into a Grand Slam. I’m just going to be so happy going into a Grand Slam now because everything I do from now on is just plusses, because I have nothing to lose.”

Wimbledon will be one of her targets. Although she won junior Wimbledon 12 years ago, Wozniacki has never gone beyond the fourth round of the senior event in 11 attempts.

“I love playing on grass,” she said. “I think it suits my game really well. I don’t understand why I haven’t been able to get past that fourth round. I’ve played some great players, played some in-form players. I’ve been a little unlucky and I’ll try to change that this year.”