Caroline Wozniacki began her professional career on the WTA Tour in 2006, transitioning from a standout junior career to the global stage during a period dominated by stars like Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Amelie Mauresmo, Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin, and Kim Clijsters. The Danish talent quickly carved out her place in the sport, winning major titles and reaching the world No. 1 ranking.
Born on July 11, 1990, in Odense, Denmark, Wozniacki grew up in a sports-oriented family. Her mother played volleyball in Poland, her father was a soccer player, and her brother was also an athlete. Her father, Piotr Wozniacki, coached her throughout her career. Caroline chose tennis and excelled nationally, across Europe, and as a junior.
At just 15, she reached the Australian Open junior final in 2006, losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and won Wimbledon juniors, defeating Magdalena Rybarikova in the final.
The rise of Caroline Wozniacki
By 2006–2007, Wozniacki had established herself on the WTA Tour. She won her first professional titles in 2008 and reached the US Open final in 2009, falling to Kim Clijsters. In 2010, she became world No. 1 for the first time, continuing a career marked by consistent success. In 2014, she returned to a Grand Slam final at the US Open but lost to Serena Williams.
Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark poses with her trophy after the 2009 US Open final. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Her dream of winning a Grand Slam came true in 2018 when she captured the Australian Open title, defeating Simona Halep in the final. Wozniacki retired from professional tennis in 2020, became a mother to Olivia (2021) and James (2022), then returned to competition in 2023, playing through 2024.
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She welcomed her third child in July 2025, and while she has not officially announced retirement, it appears she will not return to the tour. Over her career, Wozniacki amassed 30 titles and held the No.1 ranking.
Threats to her family
One of the darkest moments in Wozniacki’s career occurred at the 2018 Miami Open (WTA 1000), where she lost to Monica Puig. After the match, she revealed the harassment she endured:
“During the match that night, there were people in the stands threatening my family, wishing death on my father and mother, calling me names I cannot repeat, and telling my fiancé’s nephews to sit down and shut the f— up. Security and tournament officials did nothing to prevent this and even allowed it to happen,” Wozniacki explained, then ranked No. 2 in the world. “While I always encourage fans to support their favorite player, when certain lines are crossed, tennis is horrible for both competitors,” she added.
The controversial Serena Williams impersonation
In 2012, during an exhibition match against Maria Sharapova in São Paulo, Wozniacki tried a lighthearted gesture, placing towels under her clothes to mimic Serena Williams’ body.
While the crowd laughed, the moment sparked backlash online. Feministing.com criticized the move, writing: “Given the historical and current context of racialized beauty standards and the hypersexualization of people of color, it’s considered racist when a white woman makes fun of a Black woman’s body, especially in a way that hypersexualizes it”.
