US OPEN

August 31, 2024

Caroline Wozniacki

Press Conference

C. WOZNIACKI/J. Ponchet

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Caroline, your thoughts on the match.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: First of all, I'm so happy to be through to the next round. It was tricky today, because I didn't really know my opponent. I never met her before. She played a bit of an unorthodox tennis compared to other players. It was really difficult to read her game, so just really happy to be through. I think I kept my composure when I needed to. Yeah, able to mix up the pace and kind of go for my shots when I needed to. Just happy to be through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Three wins for you now. How does it feel to be in sort of a good rhythm heading into the second week?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, it's always nice. I love playing here. Any time I get to play another match here, I'm very pleased with that.

I'm thrilled to be into the second week, of course. Then just excited to get to play hopefully on one of the big courts in the next one as well and kind of move from there. I always get great support here. That's something I really appreciate.

Q. After your last match, you spoke about you'll go as far as your body will take you, that you're feeling confident, you're playing well. What is that balance right now between what's in your head and how you're feeling physically?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, from day to day that's a very different answer I can give. But today I feel a lot better than I did yesterday and the day before, so we're in a positive direction. I think tomorrow I'm going to feel a lot better than I do today.

My arm feels a lot better. My back feels pretty good. So we're moving in a good way. Hopefully I can just get a good practice in tomorrow, get some good rhythm, and kind of move on from there.

Q. I'm wondering if your arm and back are related to RA, and have you had to change your protocol at all since 2018?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Neither are related to my RA. So I guess that's good, or maybe that's bad, I don't know (smiling).

But neither of them were. I don't really know why either of them came on. I've had a couple of back issues, you know, months ago, but it has been pretty good since then.

Yeah, just something that I have to manage, and I guess when you push your body to the limit, sometimes little things come up. But my arm feels good. That was my biggest concern. And my back is feeling better every day.

Q. How different is that to when you were 20, 25? I guess you woke up every day feeling good and now it's not quite the same.

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think my thing throughout my career has always been I wake up every day, something is hurting, but it was kind of manageable, and now, as I've gotten older, sometimes it's not as manageable.

I think that's kind of the difference where, you know, I really need to be careful and really need to take care of every single little thing, because that quickly becomes a big thing. Whereas before, a little thing here, a little thing there, it's all right, we kind of just push through it.

I think that's kind of the main thing. I can feel I'm not 20 anymore and I'm not recovering as a 20-year-old anymore as well. I think in my head I can still feel like maybe I'm 20, and sometimes when I move around the court I'm like, I still got this, but I'm definitely paying a lot more for some of those movements that I probably wasn't previously.

Q. Following up on that, at this stage of your career, how do you approach goals and expectations while still managing your health?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I think for me at this stage obviously it's a lot different than it was back in the day. I think I really try and peak for the slams right now. Back in the day, you know, I was fresh and ready to play every single tournament. Now I'm using every tournament that I play for the Grand Slams, and that's my main goal.

You know, that's where I want to be, that's where I know I play every other day, I can really set myself up, my body can be set up for playing 100% every single match.

So that's kind of where my mindset is at. I think that's the most realistic thing I can do right now is just think of the slams and how can I play the best in those moments.

Q. Caro, do you appreciate it a lot more second time around, now that you've been back on tour for an extended period compared to before kids and marriage, et cetera?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Yeah, I think. I mean, you know, obviously marriage is a big deal and super happily married, but when you're married, it doesn't really change your preparation of how you prepare for practice or matches or days off, but having kids is a big difference. Obviously, you know, my kids are there every single day, and I really appreciate it. It's the best job in the world, and I love it.

But also, you know, I try to make sure that I am still there as 100% present mom while I'm also trying to balance, you know, being the best tennis player that I possibly can be. I think that's where sometimes it can get a little tricky. Obviously my family is the most important thing to me, but at the same time, I love winning.

So finding that balance of being, like, I need to take time out for me and be able to recover and play and practice as much as I can and try not to feel guilty of taking a few hours away from the kids. I think that sometimes that mom guilt comes out, but I try and manage it as well as I can.

Right now it's 6:00, and I'm hoping to be back before bedtime so I can see them tonight as well.

Q. Wondered if you ended up getting in touch with Serena in the last two years since her evolution, what she's been like in this post-tennis phase?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, Serena is obviously still very busy. I think when you've been such incredible at something, I think you'll always have the opportunity, you'll always be great at whatever you put your mind to.

She obviously is busy. She has two kids, she has a husband, she has her sponsorship, has all that.

But, you know, I love hanging with her. I love talking to her. You know, I love the support that I get from her, as well.

It's nice. I was texting her earlier today and hoping that we'll have time to catch up.

Q. Does she seem lighter to you not having to compete anymore?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I don't know. I feel like to me she's always been that upbeat and happy person. Obviously we're all in the zone when we're about to compete, and so that's different when you don't play anymore.

But at the end of the day, I think she's always been, you know, a happy and outgoing person.