Little Princess' crowning moment

A year older, wiser and stronger, Wozniacki has been transformed into one of the most powerful players in women's tennis, a fearsome baseline brawler with the lungs and heart to run her opponents into the ground.

Completion of this metamorphosis came on Thursday, when the 20-year-old Dane sealed the year-end number one ranking by beating Italian Francesca Schiavone at the $4.55 million season-ending tournament in the Qatari capital.

“Last year, I came into this tournament a little bit injured. I think that made my body work a little bit harder for everything,” Wozniacki told reporters after her 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over Schiavone at the Khalifa Tennis Complex.

“This year, I feel like I'm fit, I'm feeling well, feeling good physically. I've been working really hard off the court as well and that's paid off. I'm really happy about that.”

Dubbed the ‘Little Princess’ back home, Wozniacki endured a three-hour battle against Victoria Azarenka in her opening game last year, then went the distance with Vera Zvonareva in a match that yielded blood, sweat and tears.

After the Russian's nose started to ooze blood in the second set, Wozniacki was pole-axed by cramp in her heavily-strapped left thigh and was barely able to hobble to the net to shake hands after her three-set win.

The Dane would later retire with an abdominal strain after the first set of her semifinal against Serena Williams.

There would be no such injury problems for Wozniacki this year, however, as the beaming blonde celebrated ending the year as the world's top-ranked player.

The tears of last season have been replaced by steely eyes, iron will and canary-yellow nail polish. “I've had a great season. I've played some good matches here and now I can end the year at No 1, it's a really great feeling,” said Wozniacki. “I'm only the 10th one to finish the year as No 1, so I'm really proud of what I've achieved.”

Wozniacki, the youngest player in the Doha field, has won six titles this season and claimed the number one ranking earlier this month after reaching the quarterfinals of the China Open.