Newly crowned Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki has revealed she contemplated giving tennis away during a depressing run with injury that sent her plummeting down the rankings.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After spending 67 weeks atop the rankings between 2010 and 2012, Wozniacki slipped to 74th in the world in August 2016, leaving the Dane disillusioned and wondering whether or to carry on.
"I think players sometimes, they just get so frustrated. When you're hurt, you say all sorts of stuff," Wozniacki said after becoming Denmark's first grand slam singles champion with a captivating 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-4 win over Simona Halep on Saturday night.
"I've been through a few injuries. I think the most frustrating part was that when I was healthy I knew I can beat anyone.
"Then being injured and not being able to practise properly and losing to players I should be beating, that's really frustrating.
"Yeah, at that point, you're thinking so is it really worth it to keep going.
"I had a great year [last year]. Great run after that. The rest is history."
After backing up her domination of the season-ending championships in Singapore with her long-awaited grand slam breakthrough at Melbourne Park, the 27-year-old will return to world No.1 on Monday.