Caroline Wozniacki's return to tennis and the public eye after her breakup with golfer Rory McIlroy ended in more pain on Tuesday when the 13th seed was knocked out of the French Open by Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer.
The 23-year-old Dane vowed to move on with her life after Wickmayer won a rousing baseline battle 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2, condemning Wozniacki to her first opening-round defeat at Roland Garros since her debut in 2007.
At the post-match media conference, the former world No 1 made a short statement, then said she would not answer questions about her private life.
"The only thing I really have to say is that, you know, I thank everybody for their support and sweet messages. That's really nice," said Wozniacki.
"You know, what happens in my personal life, I just want to really keep that between my closest people around me.
"I just have to move on."
The players swapped breaks of serve in the first set and the advantage swung one way and then the other in the tiebreak before the Belgian ended a superb rally with a blistering crosscourt backhand winner to take it.
Wozniacki wasted five break points in the sixth game of the second set but made amends with the score at 5-4 when Wickmayer, serving to stay in the set, netted a simple forehand.
The Belgian rebounded by breaking Wozniacki in the first game of the final set and again in the fifth.
Wozniacki broke back thanks to a lucky net cord and a fine drop shot, but Wickmayer, ranked 64th in the world, sealed victory on her first match point after Wozniacki netted.
"I think she's strong, she's going to recover. She's been through a lot, but she was No 1 for a while, so I think she'll get over it," Wickmayer said.
McIlroy, also a former world No 1 in his sport, said he called off the engagement after getting cold feet while sorting out the wedding invitations.
The Northern Irishman told the world of the breakup on the eve of last week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, then went on to win the European Tour's flagship event.
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Caroline Wozniacki returns against Yanina Wickmayer during their first-round match at the French Open on Tuesday. The former world No 1 lost 7-6,4-6,6-2. Darko Vojinovic / Associated Press |
(China Daily 05/29/2014 page24)
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