After another early exit at a grand slam, how Caroline Wozniacki must wish for those halcyon days when she was Queen of the tennis world.  Having only reached the last-sixteen at one tournament last season, she could not have imagined as devastating a loss as this one to begin 2016.  From one-set up, she lost to world number 76 Yulia Putintseva 1-6 7-6 (3) 6-4 and looks likely to crash out of the world's top twenty altogether.  

Wozniacki's woes continue

After the match, she would sum up her own performance and start to the year in no uncertain terms as she stated it had been 'sh*ty.' Having lost in the Auckland semi finals to the eventual winner Sloane Stephens, her early defeat in Australia leaves the Dane dangerously in limbo.  

Caroline Wozniacki struggled during her defeat (Source: ESPN tennis)
Caroline Wozniacki struggled during her defeat (Source: ESPN tennis)

The match was a three hour slog, but one which Wozniacki had so convincingly led from the start, as she had too much for her less illustrious opponent in a one-sided opening set.  Storming to the set in just over half an hour to the loss of only one game, not many in Hisense Arena would have predicted the eventual outcome of the match. 

However, in astonishing fashion, Putintseva refused to be beaten in the second set, clawing her way back onto a level playing field before taking the tie break and ensuring the match would go into a decider. 

At this point, Wozniacki was still the favourite to go on and win the match and put Putintseva's dreams to bed.  However, in a slog lasting over seventy minutes, it would be the player from Kazakhstan who would win out in the end, and sent the former world number one crashing out. 

Yulia Putintseva (Source: Zimbio)
Yulia Putintseva (Source: Zimbio)

What next for Wozniacki?

The win was a monumental achievement in the career of the young Yulia Putintseva, but for Wozniacki it represents yet more evidence that she is a player without direction.  Now likely to drop out of the world's top twenty, the Dane looks increasingly unlikely to ever be a major force in women's tennis again. 

Whilst she will be packing her bags and trying to figure out what to do, Putintseva's reward for her fine win will be a very winnable match against Xinyun Han of China.  

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About the author
Jack Haugh
Freelance sports writer, specialising in tennis.