Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki gave Bild an interview to analyze how difficult it was to deal with rheumatoid arthritis, which completely changed her life. The 2018 Australian Open winner hopes to become a mother in the not too distant future.
Caroline Wozniacki: “I was in the prime of my career …”
Diagnosis of the disease: “I was in the prime of my career when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I won the Australian Open earlier this year.
It was supposed to be my year, but on the eve of the US Open, I got a lot of joint pain, constant fatigue, and other symptoms that I couldn’t explain. I’ve lost games that I should have easily won.
“How has this disease affected your life?” It was very difficult. I couldn’t lift my aching arms, shoulders, elbows, hands, feet … It was very difficult for me to comb my hair or get out of bed.
One day I woke up in such severe pain that my husband had to get me out of bed. I just couldn’t move my body. I immediately went to a doctor and that was the beginning of this disease.
My husband and family have been very helpful after this difficult news. It wasn’t an easy time. Before I was diagnosed, it was a roller coaster ride of emotions because I didn’t know how to explain the symptoms I was having to these people.
Sometimes I felt really lonely, but my husband wouldn’t let me give up. He encouraged me to keep looking for a reasonable explanation for my symptoms. “The Dane continues to train:” I still work with a personal trainer.
I exercise about four times a week. Strength and conditioning training is part of the training program that I follow. I love long walks or running. I really haven’t played a lot. I must have played about twice since I retired in January.
When things get back to normal and the girls from the tour are in Florida, I’ll play with them a bit. I will spend a lot of time with them to catch up on everything. “Your future:” I know that this suffering will be with me all my life.
I did a lot of research on this disease and my rheumatologist came up with a long term plan. I look forward to my future. I want to become a mother and start a family with David. It’s my dream, “concluded Caroline.
