Share

Wozniacki vows to walk on

Paris - Heartbroken Caroline Wozniacki has admitted her split with star golfer Rory McIlroy had come as a shock but vowed to move on with her life.

The 23-year-old Dane's three-year relationship with the Northern Irishman ended last week after McIlroy got cold feet over their future while sending out wedding invitations.

The break-up did not have an immediate impact on his form as he swept to victory at the European Tour's PGA Championship at Wentworth at the weekend.

But it was a different story for former world number one Wozniacki who slipped to a 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-2 French Open defeat to Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer on a chilly Court Two on Tuesday

It was 13th-seeded Wozniacki's earliest defeat in Paris since her debut in 2007.

McIlroy and Wozniacki met nearly three years ago in Munich at a boxing match between David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko.

After Tuesday's match, Wozniacki pleaded for privacy but did admit recent events had left her shaken.

"I was not prepared for this, it all came as a bit of a shock," she admitted after first of all making a brief statement to reporters.

"I am happy to talk about my match but not my personal life. I hope you will understand that. I want to thank everyone for their support and sweet messages.

"But what happens in my personal life I want to keep between me and my closest family. I have to move on from this."

As well as her love life, Wozniacki arrived in Paris nursing physical wounds after a knee injury ruled her out of the recent Rome tournament and curtailed her practice.

"I prepared as best I could. I haven't been able to play that many matches because of the injury. I felt rusty, it wasn't a pretty match."

In the aftermath of her split with McIlroy, Wozniacki found support on the tour.

"@CaroWozniacki I'll always walk with you. #friendsforever," wrote world number one Serena Williams on Twitter.

That was in reply to Wozniacki's tweet which said: "It's a hard time for me right now. Thanks for all the sweet messages! Happy I support Liverpool right now because I know I'll never walk alone."

Williams said she felt for Wozniacki.

"I would rather lose any day than break up. It's always hard," said the American.

"It's definitely easier to take a loss because you always have next week. But at the end of the day when you really are young, you always have next year and you have the rest of your life."

Wickmayer, who was supported by former world number one and fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters in the crowd, backed Wozniacki to bounce back.

"Everybody is aware of it because they're a famous couple, but there are other players who have very personal problems," she said.

"I think she's strong. She's going to recover."



Results on Tuesday at the French Open, the third day of the season's second Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros (x denotes seeded player):

Men

First round
Jack Sock (USA) bt Nicolas Almagro (ESP x21) 5-0 - retired (foot)
Dusan Lajovic (SRB) bt Federico Del Bonis (ARG) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3
Jurgen Zopp (EST) bt Tommy Haas (GER x16) 2-5 - retired (shoulder)
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x11) 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4)
Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) bt Daniel Brands (GER) 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
Axel Michon (FRA) bt Bradley Klahn (USA) 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
Kevin Anderson (RSA x19) bt Stphane Robert (FRA) 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
Andreas Seppi (ITA x32) bt Santiago Giraldo (COL) 6-3, 7-5, 6-3
Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Lucas Pouille (FRA) 6-3, 6-1, 6-4
Simone Bolelli (ITA) bt Andrea Arnaboldi (ITA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
David Ferrer (ESP x5) bt Igor Sijsling (NED) 6-4, 6-3, 6-1
Richard Gasquet (FRA x12) bt Bernard Tomic (AUS) 6-2, 6-1, 7-5
Carlos Berlocq (ARG) bt Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4
Pablo Cuevas (URU) bt Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER x28) bt Pere Riba (ESP) 7-5, 6-4, 6-1
Denis Istomin (UZB) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3

Women

First round
Camila Giorgi (ITA) bt Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) 6-4, 6-3
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x27) bt Sofia Shapatava (GEO) 6-3, 6-1
Elina Svitolina (UKR) bt Petra Martic (CRO) 5-0 - retired (wrist)
Ana Ivanovic (SRB x11) bt Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-1, 6-3
Sloane Stephens (USA x15) bt Peng Shuai (CHN) 6-4, 7-6 (10/8)
Polona Hercog (SLO) bt Jana Cepelov (SVK) 6-2, 6-3
Mara Teresa Torr (ESP) bt Klara Zakopalova (CZE) 7-6 (7/4), 6-2
Magdalna Rybrikov (SVK) bt Urszula Radwanska (POL) 4-6, 6-4, 3-0 - retired
Heather Watson (GBR) bt Barbora Zhlavov Strcov (CZE) 6-3, 6-4
Simona Halep (ROM x4) bt Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 6-0, 6-2
Jelena Jankovic (SRB x6) bt Sharon Fichman (CAN) 5-7, 6-1, 6-3
Teliana Pereira (BRA) bt Luksika Kumkhum (THA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
Sorana Cirstea (ROM x26) bt Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-2
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL x21) bt Danka Kovinic (MNE) 7-6 (8/6), 6-2
Julia Glushko (ISR) bt Donna Vekic (CRO) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
Dinah Pfizenmaier (GER) bt Estrella Cabeza (ESP) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x13) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-2
Silvia Soler (ESP) bt Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) 6-2, 6-3
Kiki Bertens (NED) bt Alexandra Cadantu (ROM) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x24) bt Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 6-3, 0-6, 6-2
Alison Riske (USA) bt Mirjana Lucic (CRO) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Li Na (CHN x2) 7-5, 3-6, 6-1

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1205 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1406 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2131 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE