Former World No.1 Wozniacki announces return to tour

Former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki announced Thursday she will return to the Hologic WTA Tour. The 2018 Australian Open champion -- the first player from Denmark to win a major -- retired in January 2020 after a third-round loss in Melbourne. A diagnosis of debilitating rheumatoid arthritis was a factor in her decision.

Wozniacki, a mother of two who turns 33 in a few weeks, and husband David Lee, a former NBA player, are parents to 2-year-old Olivia and 8-month-old James. Since last year, Wozniacki has served as an analyst for Tennis Channel and ESPN.

Wozniacki plans to start playing in Montreal to regain her form. She and her team will then move to New York. After this, she has set aside two months to prepare for the Australian Open. She has left her plans open after that but notably mentioned the Paris Olympics as a key goal.

Caroline Wozniacki: Career stats

"Three years ago, having achieved almost everything I’d ever set out to do, I walked away from the professional tour," Wozniacki wrote in Vogue. "I wanted to start a family, and I needed a break. I had no idea how long that break would last.

"But then, one day late last year, I found myself setting up a couple of sessions on the court. And when my dad visited me in Florida, I realized I needed advice. I hit for 20, 30 minutes. At one point I looked at him and said, 'I feel like I’m hitting it better than I ever have. Am I making that up?'"

She didn't possess the size or power of some of her contemporaries, but Wozniacki succeeded with precision shots, improbable angles and exquisite footwork. Bud Collins famously dubbed her "The Golden Retriever" for her defensive excellence. This combination was instrumental in her securing 30 titles, a record of 635-264 (.706) and more than $35 million in prize money.

Wozniacki first rose to the No.1 spot in October 2010, ending that year and the next as the top-ranked player -- a feat no Scandinavian woman had previously accomplished. Her reign at the pinnacle, which spanned a total of 71 weeks, drew to a close in February 2018. She was a three-time major finalist, losing at the US Open in 2009 and 2014, to Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams, respectively. 

Wozniacki’s breakthrough came in 2018 in Melbourne, when she defeated Simona Halep in the final. It is her only career Grand Slam title to date.  

Wozniacki also won the 2017 WTA Finals in Singapore, clinching the title with a victory against Venus Williams in the final. Previously, she was a junior champion at Wimbledon in 2006 and was honored as the WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2008.

"I didn’t hit a tennis ball until after James was born, more than two years after my last match," Wozniacki wrote. "It’s hard to say why, or what changed, but when my dad saw me practice that day, and said, 'It looks like you’re enjoying it more.' I was relaxed and having fun, and somehow that let me see everything more clearly."

Last March on Tennis Channel, Wozniacki opened up about her new role and potential return to tennis.

“It’s not easy,” she said of her career transition, “but it’s fun to push my boundaries and go that direction. I just want to keep learning and keep going.”

Wozniacki hinted that she might not be completely done with her tennis career, saying, "It seems like a long way away,” and adding, smiling, “I’m very happy to be on the other side at this moment in time. For now, I feel great where I am.”

So, what can we anticipate from Wozniacki's comeback? 

Only three women her age have won a Grand Slam singles title: Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 US Open, Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1990 at 33, and Serena Williams as the 2017 Australian Open champion at 35. 

"How long will I be able to play at my highest level -- a year, two years, three years?" Wozniacki said. "I don’t know. But I know that five years from now, when the kids are in school, it will be too late. I’m not going to make any bold predictions -- but if I didn’t believe in myself, I wouldn’t be doing this.

"Am I nervous? Not really. I’m coming back to something I love. Yes, I’ll be nervous before a match. I’m OK with that. I’m great with that. Can I win the US Open? I think so. Can I win the Australian Open? I think so. That’s why I’m doing this. And I guess we’ll see what happens."