By Jane Voigt
One of the most bizarre pairings at any recent US Open has to be Sunday’s fourth-round match between Coco Gauff and Caroline Wozniacki.
Gauff, at 19, has conquered American hard courts and hearts this summer, winning her first WTA 500 title in Washington D.C. and then her first WTA1000 title in Cincinnati. She’s seeded No. 6 this year in Flushing Meadows, has a brand new coaching staff and is at home in front of the adoring crowds that can’t seem to get enough of this young woman. Yet who can blame them with Coco’s sparkly personality and quips about trying not to turn into a “fangirl”during a match after seeing Justin Bieber on the big screen.
Wozniacki, now 33 and a mother of two, was a former world number one in 2010 and 2011. She retired from competition three years ago. Her ranking on day one: 623. Before retirement she won her singular Grand Slam in Melbourne at the 2018 Australian Open. But New York has always been a place of comfort for the Dane, having wracked up better results there than at any other major: 2 finals and 3 semifinals, the last in 2016. Wozniacki played her debut tour match eight days after her 15th birthday, according to the WTA, as an unranked wildcard. Needless to say, Gauff won her first tour title at 15 at the 2019 Linz Open.
Gauff earned her week-two berth Friday, emphatically defeating Elise Mertens (No. 32) by scooping up the last 10 games of the match, and closing out the third set at love. In similar style Wozniacki was not to be outdone against Jennifer Brady. The 2021 Australian Open runner-up, who had been out with injuries for two years and heavily favored to send sweet Caroline packing, was in for a surprise. Brady fell racquet-first into the spell of Wozniacki’s consistency strategy and could not find a way out. Wozniacki won the last 5 games of their match.
And so Sunday teen Coco and mother Caroline will face off for a spot in the US Open 2023 quarterfinals, 14 years and 617 ranking points separating them. Seems like a no-brainer that youth will prevail, but be wary. The match dynamics won’t be as straight forward as expected and Gauff will be defending 2022 quarterfinal points, a stat she probably won’t be considering on court but could weave its way into her mind at an inopportune moment.
“I don’t think she’s going to give me anything,” Gauff told the press Friday. “Obviously, she’s one of those players who was a great mover. She got a lot of balls back; so I’m expecting a lot of long rallies.”
Gauff watched Wozniacki’s matches this week, which included a win over 11-seed Petra Kvitova, concluding that “She’s playing a little bit more aggressive compared to before she won Australia.”But Gauff “never thought she’d be in this position” especially after Caroline retired and came back. “She’s still really fit and it looked like she was striking the ball pretty clean. It’s not going to be an easy match. I think she probably knows my game pretty well.”
The bottom line for Gauff is clear, “I’m not going to take the moment for granted.”
Although three years have passed since Wozniacki’s retirement her confidence is fresh, as if she has only taken a short holiday from the sport. Having spent half her life, prior to retirement, accumulating career titles and traveling the world as a top-tier athlete seems to have returned effortlessly.
“As the match progressed [against Brady] I played better and better,” Wozniacki told the press afterward. “When I was down 2-0 in the second I just decided I’m not going to miss anymore. I just started moving my feet better and go for my shots. Slowly I started chipping away.”
Wozniacki felt the momentum shift to her side of the net. She noticed that Brady was tiring. “I was excited for the long rallies,” Caroline admitted, meaning aggression and consistency had her back.
Wozniacki was, and is, never a player who lacked belief. She strategically targets forehands and backhands, and says “placement is more important for me,” when it comes to her serve.
In 2022, Wozniacki sat in the commentators box at the U.S. Open eight months pregnant with her son James. She was in Flushing Meadows, most importantly, to support her friend Serena Williams who would retire at the tournament. The experience of both observing matches and witnessing the passing of Serena rekindled off a vision of a possible return. “Let’s give it try,” she remembered, after her son was born. “So we’re here and that’s pretty special.”
Her surprise run to the third round at this Open began in Montreal at Rogers Cup, and followed up in Cincinnati. They put her on the correct course. Plus, “There’s something about coming back to New York. I felt at home and at ease. I found my rhythm and technically felt more comfortable.”
Wozniacki has advanced to the third round at the Open over three decades: as a teenager, top player and a mom. “Ooof,” she said. “That makes me feel a little old.”
She admits she doesn’t know how long she will play, this time around, but, like Gauff thrives on big matches played on big stages. Sunday the two of them will have the chance to experience it all while playing the game they love during the day on the biggest stage the sport has to offer: Arthur Ashe Stadium. Game on.
Tennis with an Accent 