By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Photo: Brad Penner/US Open/USTA
NEW YORK – Filling the baseline, Caroline Wozniacki Stepped Nao Hibino little breathing room today.
A crushing Wozniacki rattled off seven straight matches to dismiss the Japanese qualifier 6-0, 6-1 in a lopsided US Open first-round win.
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The 53-minute strike sent Wozniacki into a second-round match against Mexico. Renata Zarazu—and brought the Dane one game closer to the end of her season and possibly the end of her career.
While she has yet to make a final decision, Wozniacki said this US Open will likely be her final tournament of the season and possibly her farewell to the tour.
“I honestly don’t know what my plans are after the Open right now,” Wozniacki told the media in New York. “My initial thought is that maybe I won’t play again, but I don’t know. I don’t have the final say.
“Again, wherever I travel, I’ll go with the kids and I also have to see what’s best for my family and myself.”
Asked if this 15th appearance at Flushing Meadows is indeed her final farewell, the 2018 Australian Open champion was noncommittal.
“For this year, for now, yes (it’s my last tournament),” Wozniacki said. “Again, I don’t know what the future holds, but for now, I’m focusing here and then I’ll make the next decisions.”
Owner of 30 career titles, Wozniacki’s last Tour-level championship came in Beijing 2018. Although she has not reached the semifinals of the tour since her return from maternity leave at Montreal 2023, Wozniacki reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open 2023 and in the Indian Wells quarterfinals last March. She believes her best level can be competitive with today’s top players.
“I think I’m playing well. I think if my body holds up, I can play at a very high level,” Wozniacki said. “So, you know, my expectation going into this comeback was to give it my all and work hard and play harder every single game. I feel like I’ve done that, so I’m really proud of that.”
