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June 29 (UPI) — In a bold move, Caroline Wozniacki, who previously held the coveted position of the top-ranked women’s tennis player in the world, revealed her decision to return to the sport after a three-year retirement.
Wozniacki, who is 32 years old, made the announcement via her social media channels and expressed her intentions further in an article written for Vogue. Her ultimate goal is to participate in the 2023 U.S. Open and potentially represent her country in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.
“Over these past three years away from the game, I had the opportunity to make up for lost time with my family. I embraced motherhood and now have two beautiful children whom I am incredibly grateful for,” Wozniacki shared in the caption of her social media posts. “However, I still have unfulfilled ambitions.
“I want to show my children that age or roles should never hinder one’s pursuit of dreams. As a family, we have collectively decided that the time is right. I am thrilled to make my return to the sport I love and eagerly await the journey!”
The 2018 Australian Open champion bid her farewell to professional tennis during the 2020 Australian Open, where she suffered a third-round defeat at the hands of Ons Jabeur.
On December 6, 2019, Wozniacki announced her retirement, citing a desire to pursue other passions beyond tennis, including her family and raising awareness about rheumatoid arthritis.
In 2019, she tied the knot with former NBA player David Lee. Their family expanded with the arrival of daughter Olivia in 2021, followed by their son James in October.
“Three years ago, after accomplishing almost everything I had set out to achieve, I stepped away from the professional tour,” Wozniacki shared in her article for Vogue. “I yearned to start a family and took a well-deserved break.
“Initially, I had no idea how long this hiatus would last. However, late last year, while setting up a couple of sessions on the court, I realized I needed guidance. As I fine-tuned my skills, hitting the ball better than ever before, I turned to my dad for advice.”
Wozniacki burst onto the professional tennis scene at the age of 15 in 2005. She secured her first victory the following year and made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon in 2006.
Throughout her career, she amassed an impressive collection of achievements, including 30 WTA singles titles, a WTA Finals victory, and over $35.2 million in prize money. As a three-time Olympian, Wozniacki boasts a singles record of 635 wins and 264 losses.
Having assumed the top spot in women’s tennis on October 10, 2010, Wozniacki held the No. 1 ranking for a total of 71 weeks.
Before her appearance at the U.S. Open, Wozniacki intends to participate in the National Bank Open, a hard court tournament scheduled from August 4 to 13 in Montreal.
The prestigious U.S. Open will take place from August 28 to September 10 in Flushing, New York. Wozniacki has expressed her belief that she can emerge as the victor in this highly anticipated tournament.
“I will kickstart my return by competing in Montreal to regain my rhythm, after which we will all head to New York,” Wozniacki shared with Vogue. “Following that, I will have a couple of months to prepare for the Australian Open, and from there, we will chart our course.
“The Paris Olympics are undeniably one of my aspirations as well.”
