Former Wimbledon champion: ‘Three Danes in the US Open main draw is huge’
Former Wimbledon winner Frederik Lochte Nielsen is delighted with the prospect of seeing three Danes going straight into the US Open main draw.
The comeback to tennis of Caroline Wozniacki has added a sheen to Danish tennis that it hasn’t experienced since she was in her pomp.
Wozniacki will join Holger Rune and fellow WTA professional Clara Tauson as the Danish contingent going straight into the US Open main draw.
Nielsen believes that her comeback is significant for Danish tennis as is seeing three Danes in the US Open main draw.
“It’s huge that she (Wozniacki) is going to play again. It’s going to be really great. It’ll be awesome to follow her again, and from a Danish perspective, it’s just fantastic to have another player to follow at the tournaments,” Nielsen told SpilXperten.
“It’s absolutely superb to have three Danes in the main draw of the US Open. It’s damn huge.
“It’s truly significant to have both Holger Rune, Clara Tauson, and Caroline Wozniacki participating, especially because they are competitive. These are three players who one can hope to see in the second week of the various Grand Slams.”
Nielsen wouldn’t say that the current crop of top Danish talents would inspire more young Danes to play tennis but he feels that at the very least Wozniacki’s return gives Denmark another Olympic medal contender at the Paris Games next year.
“It’s too early to say what it will mean for the development here at home, but in concrete terms, it means that we have another medal contender for the Olympics,” Nielsen said.
“It’s always significant, and it’s good for us. From my position, it’s always significant to show that you can easily become a skilled and competitive tennis player, even if you’re from Denmark.”
“It’s a unique time, and it’s not something we should take for granted. We should simply enjoy it for as long as it lasts.”
Nielsen feels that Wozniacki may even be a contender for the US Open title this season.
“She is used to being one of the best in the world, and she certainly still sees herself that way,” Nielsen added.
“She hits the ball well, and she’s not doing this because she can’t pass the time, but because she feels she can be competitive.”
“She believes she can compete with the best, otherwise, she wouldn’t have done it. It’s a bit difficult to assess her level right now, and of course, we’ll have a slightly better indication of that after Montreal.
“But she is a unique personality, and she has a unique mentality, so one should by no means write her off or be surprised by anything. That’s why she has been so good in the past as well. She definitely feels that she can compete with the best.
“I have seen her play, and I have even played with her myself. She plays really well, but of course, it’s difficult to know where she stands because it’s different when you enter a match,”
“But there is one thing I know about Caroline, and that is that you should never underestimate her character and her mentality, which truly take you far.”
READ MORE: Caroline Wozniacki’s comeback event and date of her first match confirmed
