Returning to elite tennis was “like riding a bike”, Caroline Wozniacki mentioned after cruising previous Australia’s Kimberly Birrell in her first aggressive match for greater than three years.
The former world No.1 and 2018 Australian Open champion has returned to the game after a break to start out a household together with her husband, the previous NBA participant David Lee. The couple have two youngsters, Olivia and James.
She appeared like she had barely been away throughout a cushty 6-2 6-2 victory over Birrell in Montreal to achieve the second spherical of the WTA’s Canadian Open.
“It’s like riding a bike basically. You never forget it once you’re in there, but at the same time it’s different,” Wozniacki instructed reporters.
“When you play the important points or see an opening, you get really excited, and then you may not hit it as clean and you’re like, ‘Ah, I have to start from scratch in the rally’.”
The Danish wildcard, who introduced in June she was popping out of retirement, confirmed nice anticipation, motion and shot choice all through the 97-minute match.
“It just feels great to be back out there competing,” Wozniacki, who gained this occasion in 2010, mentioned in her on-court post-match interview on Tuesday.
“I played well in the first set, you know just finding my rhythm, and then I lost the rhythm a little bit in the second so it was a grind.
“But I’m simply completely happy that I someway managed to win that one.”
The 33-year-old dropped the opening game on serve but then built up a 3-1 lead and wrapped up the set in 42 minutes when world No.115 Birrell committed three double faults.
Birrell stepped up the pressure in the second set, which was on serve until Wozniacki took advantage of more poor serving to move ahead 4-2. She never looked back.
Up next for the Dane, a clash with ninth-seeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova, the Wimbledon champion, who beat Egypt’s Mayar Sherif 6-4 6-2.
Wozniacki, who recovered from match point down to beat top seed Simona Halep in 2018’s Australian Open final, has been given wildcards to compete in Cincinnati next week and at the forthcoming US Open.
Canada’s Leylah Fernandez cruised to a 6-3 6-2 victory over American qualifier Peyton Stearns, while Danielle Collins beat Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-2 6-2 to also move into the second round.
Local favorite Bianca Andreescu misplaced 6-3 6-2 to Italy’s Camila Giorgi, whereas Sloane Stephens progressed to the last-16 after her opponent, sixteenth seed Victoria Azarenka, withdrew.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
