MELBOURNE, Australia — For all her success in tennis, from holding the No. 1 ranking for more than a year to winning 27 titles, one question had plagued Caroline Wozniacki’s career.
Did she have what it takes to win a major?
It took 43 Grand Slam tournaments and two failed attempts in finals before Wozniacki ended her drought with a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4 win over top-seeded Simona Halep in the Australian Open final Saturday night.
Just three woman have taken longer to achieve their major breakthrough, a list topped by 2015 U.S. Open winner Flavia Pennetta (49).
“One of the most positive things about all of this — I’m never going to get that question again,” the 27-year-old Wozniacki said as she clung to the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. “I’m just waiting for the question ‘When are you going to win the second one?’”
So more than eight years after appearing in her first Grand Slam final at the 2009 U.S. Open — a straight sets loss to Kim Clijsters — Wozniacki has finally erased the “but never won a major” footnote on her résumé.
“Obviously adding a Grand Slam to my CV is what caps it off … shows my whole career as a whole,” Wozniacki said.
She’ll also regain the top ranking next week for the first time in six years — beating Serena Williams’ record of 5 years, 29 days between stints at No. 1 on the women’s tour — in another benefit of beating the top-seeded Halep.
Wozniacki lost two U.S. Open finals — in 2009 and 2014 — and Halep lost two French Open finals before their meeting at Melbourne Park.
It set up a first major final in the Open era between players ranked No. 1 and 2 who had never won a Grand Slam title.
Also, it was the first time that both Australian Open finalists had saved match points en route to the final.
In Halep’s case, she was the first player who had saved match points in multiple matches. She saved triple match point in the third set to beat Laura Davis, 15-13, in the third set of her third-round match. She also saved match points in her semifinal against Angelique Kerber.
Wozniacki saved match points in her second-round win over Jana Fett and said from then on she was “playing with the house money.”
So both players rolled the dice in the 2-hour, 49-minute final, which featured long, absorbing rallies, some gritty defense, a combined 65 clean winners and 10 service breaks.
“I know that today is a tough day,” said Wozniacki, acknowledging Halep’s quest for a major. “I’m sorry I had to win today but I’m sure we’ll have many matches in the future.Incredible match, incredible fight. And again, I’m sorry.”