"3 years, 8 months and 2 kids later" - Caroline Wozniacki comes out of retirement to win first match as mother at Canadian Open

Caroline Wozniacki defeated Australia's Kimberly Birell at the Canadian Open in her first match following her retirement.

Wozniacki walked away from tennis after the 2020 Australian Open due to her constant struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. However, in June this year, the former World No. 1 announced her return to the game in an interview with Vogue magazine.

"Over these past three years away from the game I got to make up for lost time with my family, I became a mother and now have two beautiful children I am so grateful for. But I still have goals I want to accomplish. I want to show my kids that you can pursue your dreams no matter your age or role. We decided as a family it’s time. I’m coming back to play and I can’t wait," she said.

Wozniacki is using the Montreal event as preparation for her US Open campaign after she made it to the draw as a wildcard for the Grand Slam.

The Dane put on a dominating display as she outdid Birell 6-2, 6-2 in the first-round match at the National Bank Open. She won a total of 69 points and capitalized on her opponent's 10 double faults to emerge victorious.

The 32-year-old tweeted about her first victory as a mother a few hours after the match.

"3 years, 8 Months, 2 kids later! We are back baby!! Feels good to get the W today," Caroline Wozniacki wrote.

During the post-match presentation after her victory against Birell, Wozniacki talked about her routine with the kids and said:

"Yeah that’s pretty crazy. I was just looking at the clock. My kids are napping right now, which is awesome.. That’s the good part about playing early. I still have the afternoon with them."

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"Was a little tense before I stepped onto the court" - Caroline Wozniacki

Caroline Wozniacki in action

During her post-match press conference, Caroline Wozniacki admitted to feeling nervous before stepping onto the court in Montreal. She said:

"I was a little tense before I stepped onto the court. I wanted to start the game well, play well, but quickly, I got my bearings. It's like riding a bike, you never forget once you're there, but at the same time, it's different."

She further expressed her excitement after playing the match, saying:

"When we play an important point or when we see an opening, we get excited, and we may not hit the ball well and we have to start from scratch in the exchange. There were many moments like that, but also other moments when I didn't expect a shot like this to come out of my racket! It was especially nice to be on the court to play a match again."

Wozniacki will face current Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the second round.