Caroline Wozniacki facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Caroline Wozniacki

Wozniacki at the 2017 Eastbourne International
Country (sports)	Denmark
Residence	Fisher Island, U.S. Odense, Denmark Monte Carlo, Monaco
Born	(1990-07-11) 11 July 1990 (age 34) Odense, Denmark
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Turned pro	19 July 2005
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Piotr Woźniacki (2004–2020, 2023–)
Prize money	$36,095,873 7th in all-time rankings
Singles
Career record	644–271 (70.38%)
Career titles	30
Highest ranking	No. 1 (11 October 2010)
Current ranking	No. 70 (23 September 2024)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2018)
French Open	QF (2010, 2017)
Wimbledon	4R (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)
US Open	F (2009, 2014)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (2017)
Olympic Games	QF (2012)
Doubles
Career record	36–55 (39.56%)
Career titles	2
Highest ranking	No. 52 (14 September 2009)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2008)
French Open	2R (2010)
Wimbledon	2R (2009, 2010)
US Open	3R (2009)

Caroline Wozniacki (born 11 July 1990) is a famous tennis player from Denmark. She was the world's best tennis player (ranked No. 1) for a total of 71 weeks. She also finished as the year-end No. 1 player in both 2010 and 2011.

Wozniacki has won 30 major singles titles on the WTA Tour, including a Grand Slam title at the 2018 Australian Open. She also won the 2017 WTA Finals and two doubles titles.

She had a great junior career, winning the 2006 Wimbledon Championships for girls. After being named the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2008, she reached two major finals at the 2009 and 2014 US Open. She became the world No. 1 in 2010.

Wozniacki first retired from tennis after the 2020 Australian Open. She then worked as a commentator for Tennis Channel and ESPN. In 2023, she made a comeback to professional tennis at the Canadian Open and the US Open. She is well-known for her quick footwork and strong defensive skills on the court.

Early Life and Family

Caroline Wozniacki was born in Odense, Denmark. Her family has Polish roots. Her mother, Anna, played for the Polish national volleyball team. Her father, Piotr, was a professional football (soccer) player. They moved to Denmark when her father joined a Danish football club. Caroline's older brother, Patrik Wozniacki, also played professional football in Denmark.

Junior Tennis Career

Wozniacki was a very talented junior player, reaching a high ranking of No. 2 in the world. She started playing on the junior tour in October 2003 when she was 13 years old. She quickly began winning tournaments.

In 2004, she won five tournaments in a row and 27 matches. Her winning streak ended at a tournament in Manila. After that, she only played in the highest-level junior tournaments. She won her first major junior title at the Osaka Mayor's Cup.

In 2005, Wozniacki won several junior events, including the Orange Bowl. She played her first professional WTA Tour match in July 2005.

Wozniacki during the 2006 Wimbledon girls' singles final

In 2006, she was the top junior player at the Australian Open, but she lost in the final. Later that year, she won the Wimbledon girls' singles title, which was a big achievement.

At the US Open girls' singles, Wozniacki was disqualified from a match. She later explained it was a misunderstanding about something she said. After her junior career, she won her first professional tournament in Istanbul in October. In November, she was named an ambassador for Danish Junior Tennis.

In 2007, Wozniacki won two more professional titles. She also reached her first WTA Tour semifinal at the Japan Open in Tokyo. She was the first Danish woman to do so since 1986.

Professional Tennis Journey

2008: First Big Wins

At the Australian Open, Wozniacki reached the fourth round. She was seeded for the first time at a Grand Slam at the French Open. She won her first WTA Tour title at the Nordic Light Open in Stockholm. She also won the New Haven Open and the Japan Open. Wozniacki finished the year ranked 12th in the world and was named the Newcomer of the Year.

Wozniacki during the 2008 US Open

2009: Reaching a Major Final

Wozniacki started 2009 strong, reaching the quarterfinals in Auckland and Sydney. She won her first title of the year at the Amelia Island Championships. She also won on grass at Eastbourne.

She made history at the US Open by becoming the first Danish woman to reach a Grand Slam final. She beat tough players like Svetlana Kuznetsova but lost in the final to Kim Clijsters. Her great results helped her qualify for the year-end WTA Tour Championships for the first time.

2010: Becoming World No. 1

Wozniacki reached the final at Indian Wells, which helped her reach a career-high ranking of world No. 2. She won titles in Ponte Vedra Beach, Danish Open, Montreal, and New Haven.

At the US Open, she was the top seed and reached the semifinals. Her strong play continued at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, where she won her fifth title of the year.

Then, at the China Open in Beijing, Wozniacki became the new world No. 1! She was the first Danish player, male or female, to reach the top ranking. She also won the tournament, making it her sixth title of the year. She finished the year as world No. 1, having won more titles than any other player on the tour.

Wozniacki serving at the 2010 Australian Open

2011: Staying at No. 1

Wozniacki started 2011 as the world No. 1 at the Australian Open, where she reached the semifinals. She won her first title of the year in Dubai. She also won the Indian Wells tournament, her 14th singles title.

She continued to win, taking titles at the Family Circle Cup and the Brussels Open. She also defended her title at the Danish Open. Wozniacki won the New Haven Open for the fourth year in a row. She reached the semifinals of the US Open. She finished the year as world No. 1 for the second year in a row!

2012: Challenges and New Wins

Wozniacki began 2012 at the Australian Open as the top seed but lost in the quarterfinals. This meant she lost her No. 1 ranking. She reached the semifinals in Miami. She then played her home tournament in Copenhagen, reaching the final.

After some tough losses, Wozniacki won her first tournament of the year in Seoul, her 19th career title. She then won the Kremlin Cup, her 20th overall title. She finished the year ranked 10th.

2013: Working Through Difficulties

Wozniacki faced some challenges in 2013. She reached her first final of the year at the Indian Wells Open, but lost to Maria Sharapova. She had some early exits in other tournaments.

Wozniacki reached her first final of the year at the 2013 Indian Wells Open

At Wimbledon, she injured her ankle during a match. She won her only title of the year at the Luxembourg Open. She finished the year ranked world No. 10.

2014: Strong Comeback and Another Major Final

Wozniacki switched her racquet brand in 2014. She had a strong grass-court season, reaching the semifinals at Eastbourne. She won her first title of the year at the İstanbul Cup.

Wozniacki serving at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships

At the US Open, Wozniacki had an amazing run. She beat former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova to reach the quarterfinals. She then made it to her second Grand Slam final, but lost to Serena Williams. Because of her great performance, she returned to the top 10 rankings. She also qualified for the WTA Finals and finished the year ranked No. 8. After the season, she ran the New York City Marathon!

2015: Ups and Downs

Wozniacki started 2015 by reaching the final at the Auckland Open. She won the Malaysian Open title. She reached the final of the Stuttgart tournament on clay. She finished the year ranked No. 17, her lowest year-end ranking since 2007.

Wozniacki practicing at the 2015 Eastbourne International

2016: Injuries and a Revival

Wozniacki faced early injuries in 2016, which caused her ranking to drop. She missed the entire clay-court season, including the French Open. She was unseeded at Wimbledon for the first time since 2008.

Wozniacki playing at the 2016 US Open

However, her year turned around at the US Open. She reached the semifinals, which brought her back into the top 30. She then won the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, her first title since March 2015. She also won the Hong Kong Open, making it her second title of the season. She finished the year ranked No. 19.

2017: WTA Finals Champion and Top 3 Return

Wozniacki had a strong start to 2017, reaching the finals in Qatar and Dubai. She also made it to her first Premier Mandatory final since 2013 at the Miami Open.

Wozniacki during the 2017 Indian Wells Open

She reached the quarterfinals of the French Open for the first time since 2010. She made her fifth final of the year at the Swedish Open.

At the WTA Finals, Wozniacki had an amazing performance. She beat top players like Simona Halep and Karolína Plíšková. In the final, she defeated Venus Williams to win the biggest title of her career! This win moved her up to world No. 3, her highest year-end ranking since 2011.

2018: Australian Open Champion and Back to No. 1

Wozniacki started 2018 by reaching the final at the Auckland Open.

Wozniacki practicing at the 2018 Australian Open

At the Australian Open, Wozniacki was seeded second. She had a fantastic tournament, saving two match points in one match. She reached her third Grand Slam final. In the final, she beat top seed and world No. 1 Simona Halep in a thrilling match to win her first Grand Slam title! By winning, she also became world No. 1 again after exactly six years, setting a new record.

She continued to play well, reaching the semifinals at the Qatar Ladies Open. She won her 29th career title at Eastbourne. Later in the year, she won her second China Open title without losing a set. After the season, she shared that she had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease.

2019: Playing with Injuries and Retirement Announcement

Wozniacki's 2019 season was affected by her rheumatoid arthritis. She reached the third round of the Australian Open. She made it to the final at the Charleston Open in April. She ended the season without winning a title for the first time since 2007. On December 6, 2019, she announced that she would retire from professional tennis after the 2020 Australian Open in January.

2020–2022: Farewell Tour and Break

Wozniacki reached the semifinals of the 2020 Auckland Open. She also played doubles with her good friend Serena Williams, reaching the final. Her farewell tournament was the Australian Open, where she lost in the third round. A special farewell match in Copenhagen was delayed until April 2022 due to COVID-19.

2023–2024: Return to Tennis

In June 2023, Wozniacki announced she was returning to professional tennis. She received special invitations to play in tournaments in Montreal, Cincinnati, and the US Open. At the US Open, she reached the fourth round. She then took a break for the rest of 2023.

She returned for the 2024 Australian Open, reaching the second round. At the WTA 1000 Indian Wells Open, Wozniacki reached the quarterfinals, her first since returning to the tour. She had to retire from that match due to an injury. She also received an Olympic invitation for the 2024 Summer Olympics. At 2024 Wimbledon Championships, she reached the third round. She also made it to the fourth round of the US Open.

Playing Style

Wozniacki is known as a defensive baseliner. This means her game focuses on getting every ball back and making her opponent hit many shots. She is famous for her amazing movement, speed, and ability to cover the entire court. She is also very good at anticipating where the ball will go.

Her best shot is her two-handed backhand, which she uses to turn defense into attack. It's hit flat and has good depth and power. Her forehand was sometimes seen as a weaker shot. To make up for this, she often used a "moonball," which is a slow, high shot that pushes opponents far back.

Wozniacki has a powerful first serve, which can be very fast. However, her second serve is not as strong. She is also excellent at returning serves, especially weak second serves. She prefers hard courts because the ball bounces consistently, and grass courts because their fast pace helps her defense. She doesn't like clay courts as much. Most of her titles (24 out of 30) have been won on hard courts.

Coaching Team

Caroline Wozniacki's father, Piotr, has been her main coach since she was 14. She has also worked with other coaches like Sven Groeneveld, Ricardo Sanchez, Thomas Johansson, Thomas Högstedt, and Michael Mortensen for short periods. However, she always returned to being coached by her father for most of her career.

Endorsements and Achievements

Wozniacki has had many endorsement deals throughout her career. She signed with Adidas for her clothing and footwear, and later wore designs by Stella McCartney for Adidas. She also had deals with Babolat and Yonex for her tennis racquets. Other partners included Turkish Airlines, Compeed BlisterPatch, Godiva Chocolatier, Lympo, Rolex, USANA, The Players' Tribune, and Mundipharma.

In 2011, SportsPro magazine said Wozniacki was the world's ninth-most marketable athlete. Forbes magazine ranked her as the second-highest-earning female athlete in the world in 2011. In 2018, Forbes listed her among the "Most Powerful Women in International Sports."

Personal Life

Outside Tennis

Caroline Wozniacki is good friends with fellow Danish tennis player Malou Ejdesgaard. She is also close with other tennis stars like Serena Williams, Agnieszka Radwańska, Urszula Radwańska, and Angelique Kerber. Wozniacki is a big fan of football and supports the Liverpool F.C. team.

Relationships and Family

From 2011 to 2014, Wozniacki was in a relationship with Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy. They were engaged in 2014, but McIlroy ended the engagement.

On Valentine's Day in 2017, Wozniacki announced she was in a relationship with former NBA basketball player David Lee. They got engaged in November 2017 and married on June 16, 2019, in Italy. Serena Williams was one of her bridesmaids.

On February 10, 2021, Wozniacki announced she was expecting her first child. Her daughter, Olivia Wozniacki Lee, was born on June 11, 2021. On June 19, 2022, she announced she was expecting her second child. Her son, James Wozniacki Lee, was born on October 24, 2022.

Health Journey

In October 2018, Wozniacki shared that she had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune disease. She received the diagnosis before the 2018 US Open but was still able to play. She hopes to be a role model for others living with this condition.

Tennis Rivalries

Wozniacki vs. Serena Williams

Caroline Wozniacki and Serena Williams have played each other 11 times. Serena has won 10 of those matches, while Caroline has won 1. They are also very good friends off the court.

Their friendship is well-known. Wozniacki visited Williams when she was recovering from an injury. After Wozniacki's engagement ended in 2014, Williams called her to offer support. They even went on vacation together. Williams was a bridesmaid at Wozniacki's wedding in 2019.

Wozniacki vs. Agnieszka Radwańska

Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwańska have played 17 times, with Wozniacki leading 11–6. They have had many close matches over the years.

Wozniacki vs. Maria Sharapova

Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova have met 11 times, with Sharapova leading 7–4. Wozniacki has a good record against Sharapova in Grand Slams, winning two matches at the US Open.

Wozniacki vs. Simona Halep

Wozniacki and Simona Halep have played 7 times, with Wozniacki leading 5–2. Their most important match was the final of the 2018 Australian Open, where Wozniacki won her first Grand Slam title and became world No. 1.

Wozniacki vs. Karolína Plíšková

Wozniacki and Karolína Plíšková have played 10 times, with Wozniacki leading 6–4. They had a very active rivalry in 2017, playing six times that year. Wozniacki beat Plíšková in the semifinals of the 2017 WTA Finals before winning the title.

Career Highlights

Grand Slam Finals

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2009	US Open	Hard	Kim Clijsters	5–7, 3–6
Loss	2014	US Open	Hard	Serena Williams	3–6, 3–6
Win	2018	Australian Open	Hard	Simona Halep	7–6(7–2), 3–6, 6–4

WTA Finals

Result	Year	Location	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2010	Qatar	Hard	Kim Clijsters	3–6, 7–5, 3–6
Win	2017	Singapore	Hard (i)	Venus Williams	6–4, 6–4

Grand Slam Performance (Singles)

Images for kids

• 

  Wozniacki during the 2006 Wimbledon girls' singles final

• 

  Wozniacki during the 2008 US Open

• 

  Wozniacki reached her first Grand Slam final at the 2009 US Open

• 

  Wozniacki serving at the 2010 Australian Open

• 

  Wozniacki reached her first final of the year at the 2013 Indian Wells Open

• 

  Wozniacki serving at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships

• 

  Wozniacki practicing at the 2015 Eastbourne International

• 

  Wozniacki playing at the 2016 US Open

• 

  Wozniacki during the 2017 Indian Wells Open

• 

  Wozniacki practicing at the 2018 Australian Open

See also

In Spanish: Caroline Wozniacki para niños