Only moments after a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 loss to Vera Zvonareva at the WTA Championships, Caroline Wozniacki learned that she had clinched No.1 for the second year in a row. After ascending to the pinnacle of the WTA Tour rankings for the first time in her career in October 2010, Wozniacki has held the No.1 spot for all but one week (Kim Clijsters, February 14, 2011), and will extend her reign to a total of 64 weeks through the week of January 2, 2012.
The Slamless Dane is the ninth longest-serving No.1 and joins a revered group of legends, including Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin and Martina Hingis — who have concluded consecutive seasons at No. 1. Only the tenth player to end the season at No. 1 since the ranking system was introduced in ‘75, Wozniacki is the first player from Denmark to hold the top ranking. Just three players younger than herself have risen to No.1 — Hingis, Seles and Graf.
“It’s amazing for me,” said Wozniacki. “Only very few players have finished a year as No. 1, and to do it two years in a row is very special. I’m only in the beginning of my career, and to have achieved so much already, it’s a dream come true.”
The winner of at least three titles in each of the last four years, Wozniacki added six trophies to her resume in ‘11 for a total of 18 career titles. She currently stands fifth on the list of most singles titles won by active players. She has qualified for the year-end championships for three consecutive years.
Her ‘11 results include title wins in Dubai, Indian Wells, Charleston), Brussels, Copenhagen and New Haven. She also finished as a runner up in Doha and Stuttgart, and reached the semis of the Australian Open, U.S. Open and Rome.
Wozniacki has a WTA-leading 63 match wins this season and has won more events and matches than any other player during both the ‘10 and ‘11 seasons.
