Caroline Wozniacki: "My passion is still there, I'm still young enough to give tennis one last chance"

Caroline Wozniacki, currently in the second innings of her tennis career, believes she is still young enough to give the sport another chance, as her passion for the game is still there.

After a brief three-year retirement spell, the Dane made her comeback last year as a mother of two kids. She immediately hit the ground running, reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open before losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff.

The former World No. 1 will next appear at the 2024 Australian Open — the same tournament where she bid farewell to the sport in 2020. In preparation for the Slam, she will compete in the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Speaking on the AO podcast, Wozniacki was glad to have received a wildcard and get another chance to compete at the Melbourne Major, which the World No. 246 considers a "very special" event for her.

The 33-year-old also believes that she has more to contribute to tennis and is glad to have the opportunity to extend her career for a little longer.

"It's really amazing that I have another chance to compete in Australia. When I retired in 2020, I really thought that would be my last tournament, my last match. There was a reason why I decided to retire in Australia: because it is very special for me", Caroline Wozniacki said, as quoted by Punto de Break.

"I feel like I have a lot of support there and it was where I won my first Grand Slam. But three years later, I realized that I still have something to contribute to the sport, my passion is still there and I feel like I'm still young enough to give [tennis] one last chance," she added.

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“I'm very lucky to be able to play what I love and what I'm pretty good at" - Caroline Wozniacki

Day Six: The Championships - Wimbledon 2017

Caroline Wozniacki also spoke about the change in perspective she has had during her second spell on the WTA Tour, stating that the fact that she doesn't know much more time she has left to play has given her a newfound sense of freedom.

“I'm very lucky to be able to play what I love and what I'm pretty good at. It just gives me the freedom to know: 'OK, I don't know how much time I have left to play, but when I'm there I'm going to give it my all.' If someone is going to beat me, then congratulations, you were better than me that day and I'm going to go home and work harder," Caroline Wozniacki said.

The Dane also credited her family and the "great" balance they have offered her as another reason for her resurgence, saying:

"I think having that great balance in my life has really contributed to the fact that I feel like I'm playing amazing tennis and a lot more free."