Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki has revealed that golf champion Rory McIlroy dumped her over the phone just days after they sent out their wedding invitations.
Speaking about the split for the first time, she said had been left her in shock when McIlroy then issued a statement to the world’s media after their conversation.
In an interview on American TV the 24-year-old Danish tennis star said: ‘It was very hard because he made it very public from the start. He put out a press release so I didn’t have a choice, you know, it just got put in my face.
‘Oh I was shocked. I thought at least, you know, I would get a face to face or something. But there was nothing – it was just a phone call and I did not hear from him again.
‘I don’t think you expect to find yourself in a situation like that, you can’t prepare yourself or your body for anything like that so I think I was in a bit of a shocked phase there for a while.’
At first, the break-up in May seemed to have very different effects on the sports stars. McIlroy won the BMW PGA championship at Wentworth, while broken-hearted Miss Wozniacki crashed out in the first round of the French Open.
But ever since, she has made a remarkable comeback, and this week narrowly missed out on the US Open title to her best friend Serena Williams.
Yesterday she credited her resurgence on focusing on tennis and the support of female friends such as Miss Williams.
She said: ‘I went to Miami after the French Open and Serena was there and we had a great time. I came back from that and I felt refreshed, I felt like a new self. I started practising towards Wimbledon and I was playing well ... I think you just have to take life as it goes and I believe you never get things put on you that you can’t handle. I’m definitely on the other side now – I’ve moved on.’
But she also seemed to hit out at her former fiance, suggesting McIlroy had found it hard to balance his career with their relationship.
She added: ‘I think it is very important to have a life off the court and to me it wasn’t that hard to balance tennis and a relationship.’
Asked what she now looks for in a man, Miss Wozniacki replied: ‘I would like a taller guy so I can wear my heels. Someone who is fun to be around who doesn’t take himself too seriously.’
It is not the first time she has joked about the fact that at 5ft10 she is taller than McIlroy.
In July she posted a picture of herself on the social media site Instagram, wearing high heels on a shopping trip in Istanbul, with the caption: ‘It’s been three years since I have worn high heels on a normal day out.’
McIlroy and Miss Wozniacki announced their engagement on New Year’s Day this year and were due to marry in November.
But in May McIlroy, 25, announced their relationship was over, just days after sending out wedding invitations.
In a statement he said: ‘The problem is mine. The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realise that I wasn’t ready for all that marriage entails.
‘There is no right way to end a relationship that has been so important to two people. I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we have had.’
Since the split his career has gone from strength to strength.
He went on to win the Open Championship in July and he returned to the world number one position after winning the World Golf Championship last month. – Daily Mail