'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAALamFX//xAAfEAADAAEDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEAAURBhJhcoL/2gAIAQEAAT8A6Ew8WmTjcSInu1jIBm5MAXCjtPgqxHtqu31jV5SvNZoSqqJngAfWv//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEAIv/aAAgBAgEBPwAy3//EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAjH/2gAIAQMBAT8Ay3J//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams reacted to the return of Caroline Wozniacki to the tennis world after the former World No. 1 announced her return to the sport three years after retiring.
Wozniacki, 32, decided to hang up her racket in 2020 to start a family with her husband, former NBA player David Lee. She has since had a daughter, Olivia, and a son, James.
Williams, who is a close friend and former rival of Wozniacki, expressed her excitement and support for the latter's comeback on her Instagram story on Friday, June 30. She shared Wozniacki’s announcement post on Instagram and captioned it:
“Welcome back.”
Wozniacki has been given a wildcard entry to the US Open later this year, which will be her first Grand Slam appearance since the 2020 Australian Open, where she bid farewell to the fans after losing in the third round. She also plans to play at the Canadian Open in Montreal in early August as a warm-up event.
Her long-term goal is to compete at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where she hopes to represent her native Denmark and win a medal.
The two players have faced each other eight times on the court, with Williams leading 7-1.
Venus Williams, 43, is still active on the tour and is currently ranked 554th in the world. She has not won a singles title since 2016 but has reached two Grand Slam finals in 2017. Williams is also an advocate for gender equality and social justice in sports and beyond.
Venus Williams to face Elina Svitolina in first round at Wimbledon
Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams will face a tough test against Elina Svitolina, a semifinalist from the 2019 edition, in the first round on Monday.
Williams has played only five matches this season and got a wild card to enter the main draw. Svitolina ranked No. 75, also got a wild card into the tournament. She returned to the tour in April and reached three clay-court quarterfinals.
The two players have met four times, with Svitolina leading the head-to-head 3-1. Their last match against each other was at the 2019 US Open.
Both players will be looking to impress on grass, which is the only surface for Wimbledon. Williams has a lot of experience and success on this surface while Svitolina has shown improvement in recent years.
Venus Williams and Father Richard recall one match that 7-time Grand Slam champion "should have won"
