So much of Caroline Wozniacki’s first tennis career was defined by her precocity. The Dane had burst out of the blocks far quicker than her peers, becoming a top-20 player at 18. By the age of 20 she was ranked No 1, a status she consolidated thoroughly by occupying the spot for 71 weeks. Having rounded off her storied career by winning a long-awaited first grand slam at the 2018 Australian Open, content with all that she had achieved in the sport, Wozniacki retired at 29 in 2020.
Yet after a three-year retirement, during which she gave birth to two children, Wozniacki is back. In these early days of her unexpected return to professional tennis, the 33‑year‑old has been charged with drawing on her experience as she tries to recover her former level of play.