Danish player Caroline Wozniacki (ranked 627th in the WTA) will play in a Grand Slam again after more than three and a half years. Her last performance was at the 2020 Australian Open, where she lost to Tunisian player Ons Jabeur.
Wozniacki returned to the women's circuit for the WTA 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati (with a record of one win and two losses) and will have her first major challenge at the US Open. In the first round, she will face Russian player Tatiana Prozorova (ranked 229th), who came through qualifying.
The Danish player, who was once ranked number one in the world for 71 weeks between 2010 and 2011, has had great performances in this tournament throughout her career. She was a finalist twice: in 2009 (lost to Kim Clijsters) and 2014 (lost to Serena Williams). She also reached the semifinals in 2010, 2011, and 2016.
Prior to her return to the Big Apple, she shared her feelings about playing this tournament again: "It's fantastic to be back and have the opportunity to play here once more. I have great memories of this place. Three years ago, I didn't think I would be here, so it's incredible. I'm really excited and looking forward to playing on Monday."
"I didn't play for a long time, I didn't even touch my racquets, I didn't know where they were. I've been playing since I was very young, it's been part of my daily life and my lifestyle, but I needed a break. Obviously, I took advantage of it to have two children during that time. Suddenly, I started missing the cardiovascular aspect because I will always love the game, regardless of whether I'm 33 years old or turning 80. I will always appreciate the game and everything it has given me. I'm still young enough to give it another shot, you only live once."
Although her comeback is great news for tennis fans, she is still unsure about her future: "I can't predict it, I don't know what will happen in a year. I don't know how long I will play, whether it's two or three years. I'm also aware that I'm not that young anymore, I'm 33 years old, although Venus Williams is still there. I just want to enjoy the moment and hope to win a major tournament. I definitely plan on playing a lot more next year, to have a full calendar."
The former Australian Open champion revealed that she had a conversation with Serena Williams before her return: "We are all very different. I had a conversation with her a while ago and she supports me in everything I do, she thought this decision would be great. But each of us does it in our own way. Elina Svitolina also took her own path, just like Serena or like I'm doing. I'm very proud that there are so many mothers on the circuit paving the way, showing the future generation that it's possible to take a break, have a family, and come back. Mothers have shown that we can still compete at a very high level."
All the action of the US Open 2023 can be exclusively followed on ESPN and STAR+.