Caroline Wozniacki is back — and on fire at the US Open

But while Wozniacki, the former world No. 1 and 2018 Australian Open champion, happy to be there for Williams, it was not what sparked her idea to return to the sport.

“[Her final US Open] something very special,” Wozniacki said on Friday. “But I wasn’t really thinking about my own comeback at that point. I’m trying to figure out how I can handle two kids.”

His own spark came later. After her son James was born in October, she started casually hitting her dad’s balls. It was there, on the court near his home, when he realized he was hitting better than he thought he did — and was enjoying it more than ever. After more than three years, he knew that he wanted to return.

Now, less than 11 months after the birth of James, and a year after Williams’ career story ended, Wozniacki is officially back, feeling the love of the Ashe crowd herself. On Friday, she came back to defeat American Jennifer Brady 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in front of a passionate fan base to advance to the fourth round of the US Open. Williams, who gave birth to her second child last week, watched from home.

The opportunity was not lost on Wozniacki.

“You go out there and you believe in yourself, but to actually be here and play Arthur Ashe in front of all these amazing people here… I said it after the last match, but I didn’t think it’s me. here it is again,” Wozniacki said in her court interview Friday as those in the stands showered her with a standing ovation. “When I retired three years ago, when I had my two children, I thought I would only watch from the outside, but to be able to play here and now I have won two games here, what it’s an honor.”

The 33-year-old Wozniacki returned last month at the Canadian Open and recorded one win in two tournaments before arriving in New York. But during the US Open, he caught fire. A two-time finalist, Wozniacki beat No. 11 seed and two-time major champion Petra Kvitova in the second round of Ashe on Wednesday and returns to the second week of the tournament for the first time since 2016.

“It’s always hard to play Caro, though [though] she hasn’t played in a few years,” Kvitova said after their match.[It] he didn’t feel like he wasn’t there.”

Wozniacki arrived in New York ranked No. 623. He is now at No. 239 in the live rankings and he will improve by almost another 100 spots with Sunday’s victory. But he had to beat the world No. 6 Coco Gauff in the biggest test of his comeback. The 19-year-old Gauff won titles in Washington DC and Cincinnati during the lead-in events and lost just one match during the summer hard-court swing. Gauff fought back to beat No. 32 seed Elise Mertens in the third round, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0.

Gauff didn’t hide his excitement about the matchup when he spoke to the Ashe crowd on Friday night.

“A matchup I never thought I’d have to play,” Gauff said. “When he retired, I remember maybe saying to him or in an interview, ‘I wish I had played him,’ to fulfill that wish.”

The similarities between Wozniacki and Gauff are many. Like Gauff, Wozniacki found success early and cracked the top 10 as an 18-year-old. He also knows all the pressure and expectations that come with being a teenage star, and the never-ending “When is he going to win a major?” questions that follow. Wozniacki reached her first US Open final at the age of 19, and has now advanced to the second week of the tournament in three different decades.

Gauff doesn’t want to call it a war between generations because “[Wozniacki is] still fit and strong” but it’s sure to be a battle between generational talents.

If Wozniacki wins Sunday’s showdown, which Ashe undoubtedly will, she could set up a quarterfinal clash with world No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek. But Wozniacki certainly wasn’t thinking that far ahead Friday. He’s very excited to be with his kids and have dinner with family and friends that night — and he says he’s just focused on the present.

“I think when you’re young, you’re always looking to the future,” Wozniacki said. “You have hopes and dreams of what your career will look like. For me, coming back now, I don’t know how long I’m going to play. I get that question all the time. Will I play One year? Play Am I in five years? I have no idea.

“What I know now is that I really enjoy this moment. To be able to play on these big courts in front of so many people, it’s something very special and something I won’t take for granted, something I will do . always be thankful.”