MELBOURNE (Australia): Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki was in all tears after she bade adieu to the sport following her defeat at the Australian Open.
Wozniacki, who announced in December that this would be her final tournament, lost 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 to lower-ranked Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.
The 29-year-old closes a career that saw her win 30 WTA titles, with her sole Grand Slam triumph coming in 2018 at Melbourne Park.
She was in tears when the end came at the hands of 78th-ranked Jabeur and just under two hours later her eyes were red and puffy as she arrived at her post-match press conference.
“I was told there are tissues here. I see the tissues in case I need them, I think I’m cried out,” said Wozniacki.
She was also given a generous reception by Melbourne Arena crowd after hitting her last shot in tennis — “I finished my career with a forehand error. Those are the things I’ve been working on my whole career,” she joked to the crowd.
Choking back tears, Wozniacki added: “Guess this is just how it was meant to be.”
Wozniacki, who made her professional debut in 2005, was carried triumphantly across court by her Polish-born father — who is also her coach — Piotr.
She also hugged husband David Lee, the former NBA star, as Neil Diamond’s hit song “Sweet Caroline” reverberated around court.
Wozniacki finished 2010 and 2011 as world number one, and ascended to the top ranking again in 2018, the year she won the Australian Open.
But later that year she revealed that she was suffering with rheumatoid arthritis, which causes fatigue and joint pain.
She insists that has nothing to do with her decision to leave tennis and says she hopes to start a family.
