Caroline Wozniacki can claim to be one of the more unusual year-ending world No. 1s, coming from the smallest country ever to produce such a success.
Denmark, with only 5 million people, has already enjoyed celebrating Wozniacki as the first Danish woman to reach the world’s top 10, in May last year.
Four months later at the US Open, she became the first Dane to have reached a Grand Slam final since Kurt Nielsen 55 years ago.
Wozniacki’s father played soccer in Poland and Denmark, her mother played volleyball for Poland and brother Patrik plays soccer in Denmark.
Her father was Wozniacki’s coach when she began tennis at the age of seven and he remains her coach, travelling with her on tour.
Asked how she had avoided some of the conflicts suffered by other players who mixed family relationships with professional tennis, Wozniacki said: “It’s important that I have a person next to me who knows what to say, and at the right moments — that it’s my dad is just a plus.”
Evidence has been growing over the past five years that big triumphs might happen.
Wozniacki made her WTA Tour debut just after her 15th birthday, became girls singles champion at Wimbledon just before her 16th birthday, and was in the top 100 by the time of her 17th birthday.
She became the first Danish woman to win a tour singles title, at Stockholm, when she was 18, and has so far won 12 altogether.
In the process she has been developing another reputation — that of the most formidable player physically. She played 87 matches last year and has won more than any other woman, 60 so far, this year.
However, the most oft-repeated question about Wozniacki is when she will win a Grand Slam title. Or will she be like Jelena Jankovic and Dinara Safina — world No. 1s without a major?
That remains an imponderable. What is certain is that if she wins the title at this week’s WTA Championships, it will be the biggest of her career so far.
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