By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday August 25, 2023
Caroline Wozniacki’s eyes are targeted on the spinning yellow ball moderately than the crystal ball, however she will be able to nonetheless see her tennis future.
Former world No. 1 Wozniacki returns to Grand Slam motion at subsequent week’s US Open and envisions herself taking part in a full schedule in 2024.
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“I don’t know how long I am going to play for,” the 33-year-old Wozniacki instructed the media in her pre-tournament presser at this time. “I don’t know if it’s going to be a year, two years, three years. I can’t predict the future.
“I additionally notice that I’m not that younger anymore. I’m 33. Obviously you’ve Venus nonetheless taking part in. She’s older than me. You have older gamers. At the identical time I believe what I’ve discovered most is that you could’t predict the long run.
“I’m just enjoying being here in the moment. I hope for a great tournament. I’m definitely planning on playing a lot more next year, playing more of a full schedule.”
Wild card Wozniacki opens in opposition to a qualifier and will face two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in spherical two if each advance.
This might be Wozniacki’s first Grand Slam main-draw look since she misplaced to Ons Jabeur within the third spherical of the 2020 Australian Open.
The mother of two stated after her 2020 retirement she did not play tennis for some time and began hitting once more for the train moderately than the competitors earlier than realizing her degree was nonetheless ok to compete on the WTA Tour.
“I didn’t even touch my racquets. I didn’t know where they were,” Wozniacki stated. “I didn’t miss it. I played since I was obviously very, very young. It’s been part of my life and my lifestyle for so long. I needed a break. Obviously I had two kids in between.
“I began simply lacking the cardio facet. I’ll all the time love the sport, irrespective of if I’m 33 or if I’m going to be 80. I’ll all the time admire the sport and every little thing that it is given me. I hope I’m all the time going to be match sufficient that if I wish to go on the market and play some balls, hit some balls, play some doubles or no matter, that may be a risk with my buddies.
“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. You only live once, so why not?”
The lady who famously accomplished the New York City Marathon in her first try will not be strolling into her US Open return utterly chilly.
Two-time US Open finalist Wozniacki has performed three Tour-level singles matches posting a 1-2 file.
The 2018 Australian Open champion additionally performed Wimbledon Legends doubles and confronted off in opposition to Hall of Famer and buddy Kim Clijsters in an exhibition earlier this week that was a rematch of the 2009 US Open last.
Wozniacki stated she’s nonetheless battling Rheumatoid Arthritis, which was a contributing think about her retirement, however believes she’s discovered to handle the sickness higher.
“Well, I still have my RA. It’s still something that I have to live with for the rest of my life,” Wozniacki stated. “Obviously when I wasn’t playing, it was much easier to manage. You can kind of control the stress you put on your body, your own schedule, sleep, everything else. Obviously that’s a little more challenging when you’re playing at a very, very high level against the best players in the world.
“I believe I’m fairly assured in the truth that I can preserve my physique in test. I believe the extra you form of find out about your physique, you understand what triggers, what you are able to do to form of really feel higher rapidly. So it is one thing that I’m coping with each day.
“In general I feel pretty good and my body feels pretty good. So far it hasn’t been an issue coming back here with that part of it.”
These days, the singles recreation is a household affair. Wozniacki travels along with her husband, former New York Knicks basketball star David Lee, and the couple’s two kids, daughter Olivia, 2, and son James, who celebrates his first birthday subsequent month. Wozniacki stated her daughter has lately change into obsesses with tennis balls.
While Wozniacki has mentioned post-pregnancy aggressive comeback with buddies and fellow mothers Serena Williams, Elina Svitolina and Angelique Kerber, one in all her long-time buddies she doesn’t anticipate coming again is Agnieszka Radwanska.
“When it comes to Aga, I think I’ll have to disappoint you. I don’t think she’s coming back,” Wozniacki stated. “I think she enjoys her freedom. I think she loves the game, but I think she’s mostly going to just play legends.”
Photo credit score: Pete Staples/USTA/US Open
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