100 of the Most Influential Women in Sport >> Athletes

Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark

Tennis

It’s no surprise Wozniacki is a champion on the tennis court and then championing women away from it. Indeed, the former world No1 hails from one of the most progressive countries in the world with Denmark regularly ranked as a nation with the lowest income inequality. Culturally, equality is a value highly regarded and Wozniacki has used her massive platform to spread this message. The 28-year-old has been at the forefront of tennis’ push for equal prize money and the Dane has always been a vital voice in helping to close the gender pay gap. All this while tackling illness and injury over the last few years, yet those obstacles did not stop Wozniacki becoming only the fourth player in WTA history to pass the $30 million mark in career earnings last year after claiming her first and long-awaited Grand Slam title in Australia.

– In January 2018 Wozniacki clinched a maiden Grand Slam success with victory at the Australian Open and secured the No1 ranking, six years after she last claimed top spot.

– Late last year Wozniacki revealed she is battling an auto-immune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and yet still remains inside the top 15 despite the crippling diagnosis.

– She announced her engagement to former NBA All-Star David Lee in 2018 and the pair plan to wed in 2019.

Did you know…

Wozniacki is a legitimate Liverpool supporter and not in the flimsy sense other athletes associate themselves with Premier League sides. Her dad is a former footballer while the brother is actually a Manchester United fan. It was a visit to Anfield after playing in an exhibition match which sparked the Dane’s affection for the Reds.

“I think generally, equality should be the norm now in this age. I think it’s not only about the women standing up for themselves but it’s also important for us that the men stand up for us. Let’s say just in my line of work, the men really have helped us as well.” – Wozniacki (Source: Players Tribune)

Twitter: @CaroWozniacki

Instagram: carowozniacki