"Most of the men don't have to retire to have a family; for women, it's mostly either/or" - Caroline Wozniacki
In a surprsing turn of events, Caroline Wozniacki announced her impending return to professional tennis, three years after announcing her retirement prior to the 2020 Australian Open.
At the time of her retirement, Wozniacki disclosed that her decision was motivated by her desire to start a family with her husband and former NBA player David Lee. The couple have since grown their family after welcoming their first child, a daughter named Olivia, in June 2021, followed by their son, James, in October 2022.
On June 29, in an interview with Vogue, the 32-year-old revealed that she hadn't played tennis for over two years, only picking up a raquet after her son James was born. Upon finding herself enjoying her return to the court, she casually asked her husband about potentially making a return to the tour, with him expressing his support for the move.
The 2018 Australian Open champion stated that she felt encouraged to make a comeback after speaking to other women who had sacrificed their careers in favor of their families.
"I’ve talked with a lot of women who gave up on their own dreams because they wanted to be with their families, but somewhere deep down they have this yearning to do something they’re passionate about," Caroline Wozniacki said.
"I want to prove that to myself and to those women. You can have both: You can be thrilled with your family and with everything at home and still have a career—and be great at it," she added.
Wozniacki also highlighted the gender disparity surrounding tennis players with children. She asserted that while male players like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray were all able to continue their careers after having children, female players were usually forced to make a choice between their families and their careers.
"Let’s also understand: Most of the men on tour don’t have to retire to have a family—they can play through. You had Roger [Federer], who had four children while playing. Novak [Djokovic] has two, and Rafa [Nadal] has a child; [Andy] Murray has four. For the women, though, it’s mostly been either/or, and I’d like to be part of changing this," Caroline Wozniacki said.
However, the former World No. 1 also acknowledged Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams for proving that it is possible for female players to enjoy success in their careers even after having children.
"Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, and Serena have already shown what it takes to have a child and return to the tour. It’s not easy by any means, but it is possible," she added.
"I’m going to play the US Open, the Paris Olympics are definitely a goal too" - Caroline Wozniacki
Caroline Wozniacki revealed that that she would be making a return at the 2023 US Open after getting some matches under her belt at the Canadian Open in Montreal.
"So I’m going to play the US Open. There’s just an electric atmosphere in New York that I can’t get enough of, and I’ve played so well there for years and years," Caroline Wozniacki said.
The former World No. 1 also disclosed her intention to be prepared in time for the 2024 Australian Open and the Paris Olympics later in the year.
"After that, I’ll have a couple of months to prepare for Australia, and we’ll take it from there. The Paris Olympics are definitely a goal too," she added.
Caroline Wozniacki's best ever-finishes at the US Open came with her run to the final in 2009 and 2014, losing to Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams respectively.