Wozniacki says hitting as well as ever ahead of comeback

11.07.2023 - 18:03 channelnewsasia.com

LONDON: Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki said she is hitting the ball as well as ever as she prepares to return to full-time tennis after a three-year break and twice giving birth.Former world number one Wozniacki, who turned 33 on Tuesday (Jul 11), announced last month that she was coming out of retirement and has a wildcard for the forthcoming US Open."As an athlete if you feel like can still play at your best and feel have something left in you then, it is a great opportunity," Wozniacki, who won the Australian Open in 2018, said at Wimbledon on Tuesday where she is competing in the invitational doubles tournament."You only live once so why not?

I started hitting a couple of times a week just to see how my body felt and all of a sudden found myself hitting as well as I ever have."She said the initial motivation was just to get back in tip-top shape after giving birth to daughter Olivia in June 2021 and then son James in October 2022."I was talking about it after James was born," said Wozniacki, who is playing in the Wimbledon invitational doubles."I wanted to get back into real good shape and I have been working out a lot throughout my pregnancies."She is following the lead of several other players who have come back after starting families.Belgium's Kim Clijsters won three of her four Grand Slams after becoming a mum, while Serena Williams also returned, as did Victoria Azarenka and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina has just reached the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wildcard.On her own expectations, she said: "I am not putting a time on it.

Just see how my body holds up, how I feel, how the kiddos and everyone do, but I am excited to come back and am excited to be playing and hopefully my best tennis yet."Also speaking on Tuesday,

tennis athletics comeback as Victoria Azarenka Elina Svitolina Caroline Wozniacki Kim Clijsters Ukraine Belgium Denmark Usa Australia

New Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova can «crash the party» and «do more great things» at the US Open following her victory at SW19, says Mats Wilander. The Czech arrived in London unseeded but stormed through the tournament with wins over the likes of Jessica Pegula and Elina Svitolina before a straight-sets victory over Ons Jabeur in the final.

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Ons Jabeur hopes it will be third time lucky when she attempts to become the first African or Arab woman to win a Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon on Saturday. The 28-year-old Tunisian takes on Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, hoping to go one better than last year when she was defeated by Elena Rybakina in the final at the All England Club and lost to world number one Iga Swiatek at the US Open later in the year.

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Ons Jabeur completed an extraordinary comeback from a set and a break down to beat Aryna Sabalenka in a Wimbledon classic and reach her second consecutive SW19 final. The sixth seed will face world No. 42 Marketa Vondrousova for the title on Saturday, following the Czech’s two-set victory over Elina Svitolina, with both players gunning for a maiden Grand Slam.