Melbourne — Caroline Wozniacki says "nobody knows" how much hard work and sheer guts she had to put in before realising her Grand Slam dream. Twelve years on circuit, 67 weeks at world No1, 149 Grand Slam matches, three Major finals and numerous disappointments were made worthwhile on Saturday when she was crowned Australian Open champion. An epic 7-6 (7/2) 3-6 6-4 win against Simona Halep in a near three-hour match in brutal heat and humidity elevated her back to the top of the world rankings after a six-year hiatus, the longest gap in history between spells at the top. "Honestly, nobody knows how much work, dedication you put into it," she said with the winner’s Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy by her side. Following Wozniacki’s second Slam final in New York in 2014, when she lost to Serena Williams, her fitness and form went on the slide. Observers believed she was finished and would retire, but the determined Dane had other ideas. "All I could tell myself was: ‘You know what, you’...
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