By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, September 3, 2023
NEW YORK—Coco Gauff closed the curtain on Caroline Wozniacki's US Open comeback today.
Former world No. 1 Wozniacki is eager to return to the Grand Slam stage in 2024.
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Playing just her third tournament in the last three-and-a-half years, the 33-year-old Wozniacki was up a break in the first and last sets before Gauff completed a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory to reach her second straight US Open quarterfinal.
Two-time US Open finalist Wozniacki said she was pleased with her performance and her progress in her Flushing Meadows return.
"I wanted to see with these three events that I came back and played this year, I wanted to see kind of where I was tennis-wise, where I was physically and everything else," Wozniacki told the media afterward. "I think I've learned a lot from that. I think I'm exactly where I want to be. There's still a few things that I want to work on and I can do better. But in general I think it's very positive.
"I think every event that I played, I played a little better. Every match I played here, I played a little bit better each time. A lot of positives I can bring with me."
The 2018 Australian Open champion knocked off former AO finalist Jennifer Brady in a three-set comeback win before bowing to Gauff.
The owner of 30 career singles titles, Wozniacki said she's learned on her best day she feels she can still beat anyone in the world—and know she can lose to anyone when she's not at her best.
"I am encouraged. I think my game is pretty good," Wozniacki said. "I think that I can beat anyone on any given day. I also believe if I'm not playing my best, I can also lose today.
"My serve in the first and third sets let me down a little bit. I don't feel like I had the same pop as I had some of the other days. So that's something I'm going to work on."
The woman nicknamed "Sunshine" for her perpetually-positive disposition has said she's aiming to play a complete schedule in 2024, including her Australian Open return.
"I don't know how long I am going to play for," the 33-year-old Wozniacki told the media in her pre-tournament presser today. "I don't know if it's going to be a year, two years, three years. I can't predict the future. "I also realize that I'm not that young anymore. I'm 33.
"Obviously you have Venus still playing. She's older than me. You have older players. At the same time I think what I've learned most is that you can't predict the future.
"I'm just enjoying being here in the moment. I hope for a great tournament. I'm definitely planning on playing a lot more next year, playing more of a full schedule."
Photo credit: Robert Prange/Getty