Caroline Wozniacki retired from tennis to commit to her family. Three years later, her family is pushing her back to the court.
“Over these past three years away from the game I got to make up for lost time with my family,” Wozniacki said Thursday in an announcement that paired with an in-depth feature on her return in Vogue magazine.
“I became a mother and now have two beautiful children I am so grateful for. But I still have goals I want to accomplish. I want to show my kids that you can pursue your dreams no matter your age or role. We decided as a family it’s time. I’m coming back to play and I can’t wait!”
The Danish two-time World No. 1 held the top spot for 71 total weeks and claimed a Grand Slam title (Australian Open, 2018). Wozniacki left tennis in 2020 at the age of 29 to fully embrace being a part of her new family with husband and former NBA player David Lee and their two children, Olivia and James. She wrote for Vogue that a decision to end her planned “break” from professional tennis evolved and included her father, who played professional soccer overseas, and immediate famlly.
“I wanted to start a family, and I needed a break. I had no idea how long that break would last,” Wozniacki said. “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-I’m not sure how long, but 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?”
Beyond motherhood, Wozniacki said arthritis and chronic joint pain contributed to her desire for a break.
Now, she said her goals include proving to women “you can have both,” your family and your dreams.
She insists even after a full two years without hitting a single tennis ball, her comeback isn’t a ploy or publicity stunt. It was endorsed by her husband and seconded over dinner with Serena Williams. Wozniacki said she believes she can win the US Open and the Australian Open, or wouldn’t be taking the court.
“So I’m going to play the US Open,” Wozniacki said. “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. Also, David was a New York Knick for five seasons — we both love it there. I’ll start out playing in Montreal just to get back into the groove, and then we’ll all head to New York. 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.
“How long will I be able to play at my highest level — a year, two years, three years? I don’t know. But I know that five years from now, when the kids are in school, it will be too late.”
–Field Level Media