Caroline Wozniacki happy to ‘make a statement’ with US Open outfit and first-round win
Caroline Wozniacki made quite the entrance for her long-awaited US Open return on Monday and she backed it up with a solid victory over Tatiana Prozorova in the first round.
Three years after her last match at Flushing Meadows, Wozniacki entered Louis Armstrong Stadium wearing a cape while her match outfit was a blue tanksuit/romper/bodysuit.
Asked after the match about her attire, she replied: “I mean, it’s the US Open. Why not? I think that’s my motto at the moment. At this point we may as well make a statement. I think that’s where I’m at
The Dane added: “Actually, because I didn’t let many people know for a long time, it was kind of a last-minute, All right, let’s go for it, let’s try this one. I think it’s cool.
“It was a last-minute thing from Adidas. Yeah, I think it’s nice.”
Playing only her fourth match since coming out of retirement, Wozniacki produced a confident display as she beat the qualifier 6-3, 6-2.
A warm welcome back to the #USOpen for @CaroWozniacki! pic.twitter.com/OCzw6fvljB
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2023
The former world No 1 broke three times in each set, although Prozorova got one break both sets.
“I’m just so happy to be through. I think there are some things I did very well, other things that I can do better,” Wozniacki, who faces two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova next, said of her win.
“All in all I’m going to be thrilled with a win today. Playing on Armstrong is special. Playing a night session. Obviously I was a little nervous going out there and finishing off the match.
“Again, just thrilled to be through in an exciting match. Get another one out there.”
Wozniacki gave birth to two children while retired with daughter Olivia born in June 2021 before her son James was born in October 2022.
Waking up early and then having to play the night session was no easy feat for the mother of two.
“I usually love a night session. For me I thrive playing in front of a big crowd, playing a night session, especially when you’re playing first on. You know exactly when you’re on. You can really prepare for that,” she said.
“But I haven’t played a night session in a very long time. For me it was like, Okay, I woke up this morning at 8, Olivia woke up at 8. I was like, Wait, I’m playing in 12 hours. Okay, what am I going to do?
“I hung out with the kids a little bit, took a nap when they took a nap, hung out with them a little bit more, walked around outside. I had them kind of do their own thing. I really started to zone in on the match.
“I think it was important for me not to think about the match all day because that’s kind of nerve-wracking, too. It was really nice to be able to hang out with the kids for a little while and just think about that, do something. Then I really zoned in and started thinking about what I needed to do in the match today kind of after my nap.”
