Caroline Wozniacki is getting ready to play her first Grand Slam match in more than 3 1/2 years at the U.S. Open when the tournament begins next week.
“It just happened to be that I felt like I was hitting the ball extremely well, that I still am young enough to give it another shot,” Wozniacki said with a smile. “You only live once. So why not?” Wozniacki, who is 1-2 in this second career, won 30 titles and $35 million in prize money during her first go-round.
Her greatest triumph arrived at the Australian Open in 2018, when she claimed the title by defeating Simona Halep in the final after facing match point in the second round of the tournament. That Grand Slam trophy allowed Wozniacki to return to No. 1 in the rankings after an absence of six years. Flushing Meadows also was the site of some of the most significant on-court moments for the Danish player, best known for her defense and tactical ability. In 2009, she reached her first major final at the U.S. Open while still a teenager but lost to Kim Clijsters.There also were three other runs to the semifinals in New York before she decided to walk away from the game afterearly in 2020. She wanted to start a family. She also had announced in 2018 that she has rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that can cause pain and swelling in the wrist and other joints. “Such a great player in our sport, for so long. She’s had a lot of success here, as well, at the U.S. Open,” said Jessica Pegula, an American who is seeded No. 3 in this year’s bracket. “It’s interesting to see her back. ... It’s nice having her back and feeling her presence a little bit. She’s always super nice, really happy.”For one thing, she is accompanied by her husband, former NBA player David Lee, and their 2-year-old daughter, Olivia, and 10-month-old son, James.One example Wozniacki shared: She recounted that before she headed to the tournament site on Friday, Olivia said: “Mommy. Mommy. Can I go with you to work? I want to be like you. I want to play tennis.” “When I’m on court, I know that I’m 100% on court, giving it my all when I’m there,” Wozniacki said. “When I’m with the kids, that’s what matters most to me at that point.” She acknowledged that another challenge is the extra effort it takes to recover from a practice session or a match now that she’s older.“I don’t know how long I’m going to play for,” Wozniacki said, while noting that she does intend to map out “more of a full schedule” in 2024. “I don’t know if it’s going to be a year, two years, three years. I can’t predict the future.”The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.
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