Caroline Wozniacki on arthritis diagnosis after Australian Open victory 2018: “Couldn’t even raise my arms”

According to the 32-year-old, these symptoms began in the summer of 2018, just a few months after her first Grand Slam title in Australia.

After several visits to the doctor, she was finally diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

The news was “both shock and relief,” said the former world number one: “I felt so bad and didn’t know what was happening to me – it was all very scary. When I finally got the diagnosis, I knew I at least know what’s going on with my body.”

Wozniacki continues and wins the tournament

Together with a rheumatologist, she was “put on the right track”. He designed a plan “that was tailored to me. That made a huge difference: I started to feel better and I was able to start taking my life back,” said the Dane.

In the interview, Wozniacki also explained why she didn’t end her career until two years after her diagnosis. “I’m just a competitor, I like to prove myself. My big goal was to still be the best, to compete with the best. In October 2018, with the illness, I won the tournament in Beijing – my last Tournament victory, but definitely one of my biggest ever,” said the 2018 Australian Open winner.