Live Australian Open

Caroline Wozniacki has overcome Simona Halep to win the 2018 Australian Open final.

CAROLINE Wozniacki’s painful wait is over after tennis’s perennial grand slam bridesmaid finally reigned with a compelling Australian Open final triumph.

The Danish superstar is set to take the No. 1 ranking after she overcame Simona Halep in one of the most unforgettable and brutal grand slam finals ever seen.

Wozniacki had to come back from a break down in the final set as the two combatants delivered a final of pure entertainment, drama and class.

In a gripping climax to one of the most memorable women’s Opens on record, Wozniacki wore down battered top seed Simona Halep 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-4 in two hours and 50 minutes of incredibly intense tennis on Saturday night.

The Great Dane wept tears of joy after also returning to the top of the rankings — ending a record six-year stint between drinks — with the watershed win at Melbourne Park.

Like prized fighters, the two combatants traded blow for blow all night, with Wozniacki ultimately prevailing after clubbing 110 winners to Halep’s 108.

In denying the brave but vanquished Halep her own elusive grand slam breakthrough, Wozniacki not only usurped the Romanian as world No. 1 but also delivered Denmark its maiden grand slam singles crown.

“I’ve dreamt of this moment for so many years. It’s a dream come true,” Wozniacki said after landing her 28th career title, the $4 million winner’s purse and at least a 68th week as world No.1 — precisely six years after relinquishing top status at the 2012 Open.

“My voice is shaking. It’s an emotional moment.”

Wozniacki’s stirring victory completed one of sport’s great comeback tales after the 27-year-old spiralled to 74th in the world in August 2016, just 23 months after falling short in her second US Open final.

It’s taken her 11 years, 43 majors, 256 tournaments, 772 matches and untold hours of toil and tears to shed her tag as tennis’s most accomplished talent without a grand slam win.

That unwanted “honour” now cruelly belongs to Halep.

The 26-year-old’s shattering defeat follows finals losses on the Paris clay in 2014 and 2017.

The Romanian must settle for a $2 million consolation pay day after coming up short in her historic quest to become the first woman to win a major after saving match points in multiple matches.

“It’s not easy to talk now but, first of all, I want to congratulate Caroline. She played amazing all tournament,” Halep said graciously in defeat.

“It’s been a great tournament for me. I started not very well with an ankle injury. But I just wanted to give my best every match, which I did. “I’m really happy I could play the final again in a grand slam.”

(2) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) defeated (1) Simona Halep (ROU) 7-6 3-6 6-4

10.25pm

Wozniacki bursts into tears after Open classic

Caroline Wozniacki produced one of the great scrambling rallies of the entire tournament to bring up her first ever championship point in a grand slam before seizing her moment to break through for her first grand slam victory.

Wozniacki repeatedly had to stretch at insane levels to return punishing Halep groundstrokes at 30-30 as Halep served to stay in the match at 5-4 in the match.

That effort earned her a championship point opportunity.

From there, Halep buried a groundstroke into the net to hand the Danish star her first ever grand slam triumph.

The 7-6 3-6 6-4 victory, which took almost a full three hours will be remembered as one of the Aussie Open’s greatest finals.

It will also be remembered as Wozniacki’s iconic moment with the world No. 2 set to return to the top of the WTA Tour rankings when the rankings are updated on Monday.

The 27-year-old burst into tears the instant it hit home that she is a grand slam champion.

“I’ve dreamed of this moment for so many years,” she said.

‘To be here today is a dream come true. My voice is shaking. I never cry. Today is a very emotional moment.”

What a great final 👌 wow!!! Congrats @CaroWozniacki 🏆 well worth the wait to get your 1st grand slam title, so well deserved. And hats off to @Simona_Halep what a fantastic tournament 🎾 #ausopen #champs #girlpower — caseydellacqua (@caseydellacqua) January 27, 2018

I’m so incredibly proud to be a part of women’s tennis in this day and age. What a tournament for both @CaroWozniacki and @Simona_Halep 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 @WTA @AustralianOpen — Johanna Konta (@JoKonta91) January 27, 2018

10.20pm

Wozniacki breaks again in Open insanity

Six service breaks in the opening eight games of an incredible third set have catapulted the women’s singles final towards being the match of the entire 2018 tournament.

Caroline Wozniacki broke Halep’s serve for a third time to level the match at 4-4 in the third set.

With both players struggling to hold serve in the third set, Channel 7’s Rennae Stubbs described both players as being mentally on the brink as the pressure built to unbearable levels in the decisive set.

She said Wozniacki’s reliable first serve was dissolving in front of the crowds’ eyes as both players struggled to hold their nerve at the tense moments of the set.

“All these mind games,” she said.

“Trust me, there are serious demons on this court right now.

“I Thought I’d seen the match of tournament with (Angelique) Kerber and Halep. This one is starting to get right up there.”

10.10pm

Wozniacki calls for trainer after third break

Caroline Wozniacki called for the trainer and took a medical time-out to get treatment on her left knee after her serve was broken for a third straight service game.

Simona Halep led 4-3 with a break when Wozniacki called for the trainer.

“Earlier on in this match there was a moment on return of serve the end of the second set that Caroline just sort of put her left knee down and that was just a weird moment for me,” Rennae Stubbs told Channel 7.

“It doesn’t look like much. When you’ve had knee problems throughout your career she asked for the trainer in the last game.

“She’s taken some anti-inflammatories. I saw her put that in the mouth. That will be about 20 minute before that starts taking effect.”

10.05pm

Wozniacki warned by umpire

Caroline Wozniacki gave the chair umpire a grouchy response after being warned over an interaction with her players’ boxduring a change of ends at 3-2 in the third set.

Wozniacki reportedly then warned her coach and support not to give the umpire any reason to believe they were breaking the rules which forbid coaching during a match.

“I think the umpire said to something to Wozniacki in the in the change over,” Rennae Stubbs told Channel 7.

“ I don’t know whether it was about coaching, but Wozniacki looked at her and said “Leave me alone.”

“When Wozniacki walked over to her box she was saying something to them. Whether she is telling them, “She’s saying you’re coaching me. Just be careful”.”

10pm

Four straight breaks in rollercoaster epic

Caroline Wozniacki pounced to take a 2-0 lead at the start of the third set, but double-faulted after a marathon seven-deuce game to surrender her advantage.

Halep finally broke Wozniacki’s serve to put the decisive set back on serve at 2-1 after Wozniacki lost her nerve trying to defend a fourth break point of the game.

In a rollercoaster third set, the Danish star broke straight back to lead 3-1.

However, as had become standard in this brutal contest, Halep broke back to have the match back on serve at 2-3.

9.20pm

Halep’s phenomenal fightback

Simona Halep couldn’t hide an obvious cramp in her left leg as she sensationally broke Caroline Wozniacki’s serve to go ahead 5-3 and serve for the second set.

Halep went down 15-40 serving for the set, but forced the game into deuce.

She then butchered two set-point opportunities before eventually claiming the second set 6-3 in 47 minutes to send the match into a third set.

With the heat tule in place, both players were allowed to leave the court for a 10-minute break before the third set.

It came after Halep took a controversial medical time-out to receive treatment for general exhaustion when leading 3-2 in the second set.

From that stop of play Halep won three of the next four games to take the set.

Halep breaks for 5-3 in the second but that left thigh is tightening up... #AusOpen — Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 27, 2018

🇷🇴 @Simona_Halep has won the 2nd set 6-3 and we're going to a decider in the women's final! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/zkbqNsrZZK — #7TENNIS 🎾 (@7tennis) January 27, 2018

9pm

‘Distressed’ Halep calls for trainer

After holding to go ahead 3-2 in the second set, Simona Halep called for the Australian Open trainer to treat a case of extreme exhaustion.

With temperatures in Melbourne still above 32C at the start of the match, Halep took a medical time-out early in the second set to have her blood pressure checked.

“She’s not feeling very well,” Channel 7 commentator Basil Zempilas said.

“She was distressed on that last change of ends.

“You saw immediately the ice towel at the back of her neck.

“She looks to be in some discomfort there when she first sat down.”

Halep doesn’t take a medical timeout but sits with the ice towel and has her blood pressure checked by the physio. Back to action. 3-2 on serve in the 2nd set. #AusOpen — Dawn Rhodes (@rhodes_dawn) January 27, 2018

Can’t help but wonder how much of this is mind games from #Halep just making @CaroWozniacki think about it more and how close she is to a slam win #AusOpen — Paul Johnson (@pjohnson_sports) January 27, 2018

8.50pm

Halep holds after marathon scare

Simona Halep held serve to go ahead 2-1 in the second set after surviving three break points and six deuces in a marathon service game.

Halep holds in a 11-minute, 18-point game, 2-1 in 2nd set. That game in and of itself was bonkers... and keeps Simona well and truly in this thing #AusOpen — Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) January 27, 2018

Big hold for Halep for 2-1* in the second after a marathon game. #AusOpen — Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 27, 2018

How about this game! It feels like the match will turn on it. 5th deuce and now another break point for Woz #ausopen — Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottliebFOX) January 27, 2018

8.30pm

Wozniacki recovers from ‘nightmare’

Caroline Wozniacki recovered from losing three of the final four games of the first set to take the first set 7-2 in a tiebreak.

It is the first time Wozniacki has won a set in a grand slam final.

Wozniacki served for the set at 5-3, but was broken.

She recovered from that tense moment to leave Halep staring down the barrel of a third straight grand slam final defeat.

It came after Halep had peeled off four of the last six games of the first set to force a tiebreak.

From there Wozniacki flip the game on its head again by holding her nerve and going for big shots in the breaker.

“I’d love to know what is going through Halep’s head and what the instructions were before going on this court,” Rennae Stubbs told Channel 7.

“Because the way she played in the opening set, it would have beaten most players in the world. I look at her numbers and they’re still very good. I’m not sure what more she can do out here.

“I wonder what Halep can do. Great players they raise their intensity. They take things up a fraction, a notch. To me, Halep is becoming more accurate. She’s just pushing to the lines fractionally more than she was in the opening set. She’ll leave it all out here. So is

Wozniacki. I think we’ll have to go out and carry them off at the end of this one.”

Halep just wants this so badly. She could be broken if she loses. She needs some calmness, I think. #AusOpen — Deji Faremi (@deejayfaremi) January 27, 2018

19-shot, 20-shot rallies... these 2 are going to kill each other! Daphne Akhurst Cup has two handles - give ‘em half each! @AustralianOpen — Margie McDonald (@MadgetheBadge) January 27, 2018

8.10pm

Wozniacki chokes serving for the first set

Caroline Wozniacki’s trademark of choking in big moments returned again when she tried to serve out the first set at 5-3.

Wozniacki was racing towards winning her first set in a grand slam final, but lost her cool down 0-15 when fans at Rod Laver Arena yelled out in between her first and second serves.

She went down 0-40 and was eventually broken.

“Just unusual, Sam, Caroline is getting kind of annoyed the crowd yelling out, not allowing her to serve when she wants to,” Rennae Stubbs told Channel 7 commentator Sam Smith.

“That was unusual at 0-15. When you see players do things like that, that means they’re a little nervous, they are kind of looking for excuses.”

As Wozniacki tries to serve the first set out, Halep breaks. Nightmare for the Dane... — George Bellshaw (@BellshawGeorge) January 27, 2018

Wozniacki blinked not responding to the pressure well. #AusOpen — Juliet Bawuah (@julietbawuah) January 27, 2018

Woz absolutely crumbled and wrecked this set. Her nerves must be crazy rn. #ausopen — Stephanie Tinsley (@AgentTinsley) January 27, 2018

7.55pm

Wozniacki blasts to early break

Caroline Wozniacki peeled off the first three games of the 2018 Aussie Open women’s singles final in a blockbuster start to her third grand slam final.

The World No. 2 won 12 of the first 17 points before Halep finally found her feet on Rod Laver Arena.

After just 17 minutes, Wozniacki led 4-1 in the first set.

7.30pm

‘Corny and weird’ start to women’s epic

The Australian Open pre-match entertainment before the 2018 women’s singles final has come under fire for a performance that wasn’t up to grand slam standards, according to some international tennis commentators.

Musical talent Natalie O’Donnell, who is currently starring in an Aussie production of Mamma Mia was the star attraction of the pre-match performance alongside the Australian Girls’ Choir on Rod Laver Arena.

O’Donnell performed ABBA classic ‘The Winner Takes All’ — which is in fact a song about a messy divorce. She also performed the Australian anthem before Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki walked out onto court.

While the song was performed spectacularly, it was criticised around the globe for not hitting the mark expected of entertainment before one of the biggest tennis matches of 2018.

#AusOpen women's final pre-ceremony features a children's choir singing ABBA's "The Winner Takes it All."



The bar is set HIGH, other 2018 Slams. — Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 27, 2018

“The winner takes it all

The loser standing small

Beside the victory

That's her destiny“

Anyhoo... good luck, ladies. #ausopen — Tegan Higginbotham (@TeganMH) January 27, 2018

#ABBA being sung on RLA. Turns channel 😁 — Emily Benammar (@EmilyBenammar) January 27, 2018

Ah, of course. This is Australia. The ABBA song was a cross-promo opportunity for the Mamma Mia stage revival. Pathetic. #ausopen — Neil McMahon (@NeilMcMahon) January 27, 2018

Well that was a motivating start to the women's final wasn't it? ABBA?! 😂😂😂😂😂 #AusOpen — Melanie (@melleegee) January 27, 2018

Speaking as a massive ABBA fan, this is a dreadful song choice for the women’s final, for a start the loser gets $2 million bucks — Karen Lyon (@klioness) January 27, 2018

I mean, this is in my top five Abba songs of all time, but it's still really corny and weird. — F 🐨 (@pluckyloser) January 27, 2018

Not everybody seemed to hate it, though.

That is the best opening to a major event I have witnessed #goosebumps — Danny Frawley (@SpudSays) January 27, 2018

7pm

Halep’s secret tears

Another grand slam final loss would break world No. 1 Simona Halep.

Both the Romanian star and No. 2 seed Caroline Wozniacki enter their third grand slam final without a win — and the mental anguish of a third loss is too much for either of them to contemplate.

Both players have showed incredible character and fight to comeback from match-point down at different times this tournament — exorcising many of the demons that have clouded their careers and their inability to win a major.

Despite their incredible careers — with both players spending time at No. 1 on the WTA Rankings — a first grand slam crown has eluded both of them.

With it has come criticism about their championship personality traits.

Only one of them can end that criticism on Saturday night. The cost of losing another slam is just as powerful as the euphoric joy the winner will feel on the other side of the court.

Halep’s coach, Aussie Darren Cahill, has revealed Halep was shattered for months after her most recent grand slam final failure against unseeded Latvian Jelena Ostapenko in the 2017 French Open final. She was up 3-1 in the final set before crashing 5-6 6-4 6-3.

“She had tears a lot of nights for months after that with the memory of that and being so close and playing so well, and that one sort of slipping through her fingers,” Cahill told the New York Times.

“But I give her credit. With all the sorts of kicks in the stomach she’s had, to be able to keep coming out and keep putting herself in positions and keep winning and keep doing what she has done, it shows she has a remarkable strength inside.”

6.30pm

Wozniacki and Halep ready for epic showdown

Caroline Wozniacki’s gruelling climb back to the summit could soon be over with the world No.1 ranking up for grabs in her Australian Open final against Simona Halep.

History will be made in Saturday night’s title decider if the second-seeded Dane can succeed in her quest for a maiden grand slam crown after twice falling at the final hurdle.

A Wozniacki victory would ensure she leapfrogs Halep to become world No.1 when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday - exactly six years after she last occupied the throne.

That would shatter the record for longest time between stints at No.1 held by Serena Williams, who went five years and 29 days before reclaiming top spot with her 2008 US Open title.

Wozniacki arrived at Flushing Meadows two years ago ranked No.74 after struggling with form and an ongoing ankle injury.

But the two-time US Open runner-up says she never lost belief that she could one day return to the top.

“I always believed in myself,” Wozniacki said.

“I had a tough period where I had a few injuries. That was kind of hard and tough mentally. But once I got past that, I knew that if I can stay healthy and I work hard, my game is good enough for it.

“I was just giving myself time. I think if you don’t feel like you can go all the way in tournaments, then to me there’s no sense in playing. “So for me it’s always I want to be competitive, I want to be the best, and that’s why I’m still playing.” That self-belief is certain to be tested by Halep, whose unbelievable counter- punching skills were on full display during an epic semi-final victory over 2016 champion Angelique Kerber.

Herself a two-time grand slam runner-up, the Romanian has been hampered by an ankle injury but hasn’t let it stop her from achieving her deepest run at Melbourne Park.

Regardless of the final result, Wozniacki feels she will leave Melbourne with her head held high.

“I don’t think I believe in luck,” she said.

“Obviously you have to sometimes be a little lucky. But I believe in preparation and effort. I believe if you really put everything into it, eventually things are going to go your way.

“In the end of the day, no matter what happens on Saturday, all I know is that I’ve given it my best. Win or lose, I’m going to be very proud of my efforts these two weeks.”

— AAP