Caroline Wozniacki appears to be as ambitious as ever ahead of her return to competitive tennis at the Canadian Open on Tuesday.
The former world No.1 shocked the sport in June when she announced her return at the age of 33. Wozniacki has won 30 WTA titles with her sole Grand Slam triumph occurring at the 2018 Australian Open. She has also spent 71 weeks at the top of the WTA rankings, ending five separate seasons inside the world’s top five.
“I haven’t played a real match in over three years. So it’s been a long time,” Wozniacki told reporters in Montreal on Sunday.
“I realize that my first match is probably not going to be perfect, but I’m going to do my best and fight as hard as I can. Try and win as many matches here as possible.”
During her time away, the mother-of-two has kept herself involved in the sport but in a different capacity. In recent years she has worked in broadcasting for American TV and was an analyst for ESPN, as well as the BBC. Joining the paths many other former players have followed after retiring.
Wozniacki believes her stint in the media will benefit her upcoming comeback. Besides following the latest activities taking place on the women’s Tour, the Dane says she has been able to form a ‘clearer picture’ of the sport.
“I think working kind of behind the scenes and seeing everything, you see it from a much different perspective,” she explained.
“It’s gonna help me with the way I just view the game. And when I play myself as well. I have to get into the match with them (other players on the Tour) myself, but at least I know where I am, where I feel like I am doing very well and where I can improve. It’s a much clearer picture that you have when you’ve seen it from the outside.”
The last time Wozniacki played a professional match was in January 2020 at the Australian Open where she lost in the third round to Ons Jabeur. At the time of her retirement, she was still ranked in the world’s top 40.
A lot has changed since then with Iga Swiatek rising to the top of the game, winning four major titles. The Pole has been grouped with Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka as the ‘Big Three’ of women’s tennis.
So how would Wozniacki compare today’s game to three years ago when she last played?
“I think you’re going back to seeing a lot of different varieties of players,” she commented. “So you have players that slice and play topspin and try and take the pace away, because there are some very strong, strong women out there that really hit the ball so hard. So I like to see that there’s different styles out there at the moment.”
It remains to be seen if Wozniacki can return to her very best but she is high in confidence that she will be able to do so. Inspired by the growing trend of more mothers playing on the Tour, she aims to ‘peak’ in time for the US Open which she has already been handed a wildcard to play in.
“I believe in myself. I believe I can do it. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe in that,” Wozniacki states.
“I believe that I can beat anyone when I’m playing my best. But when I’m not you can also lose to anyone in the draw. So for me, I just need to focus on myself and go out there and practice my hardest and play my best.”
Wozniacki will begin her comeback bid at the Canadian Open on Tuesday where she will play a qualifier in her opening match.
