WTA Finals Singapore 2018: Caroline Wozniacki reveals rheumatoid arthritis condition after Elina Svitolina loss
- World No 3 will have to manage the autoimmune disease for life
- Dane diagnosed after the US Open but has been struggling since July
After crashing out of the WTA Finals in Singapore, Caroline Wozniacki revealed she is suffering from autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis.
The world number three’s title defence was ended by a 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 defeat by Elina Svitolina at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and brought to a close a triumphant season which saw her win her first grand slam at the Australian Open in January.
But for the second half of the year, she had been competing with a disease that attacks the joints, and that causes sufferers to swell up when the body has a lot of fluids in it, and to become tired and exhausted.
“In the beginning, it was a shock,” Wozniacki told her post-match press conference. “You feel like you’re the fittest athlete out there. That’s what I’m known for, and all of a sudden you have this to work with.”
The Dane said she thought she had the flu while on holiday after Wimbledon in July. But things got worse with her knees and legs hurting when she returned to the court in Washington.
