Caroline Wozniacki reaches fourth round at U.S. Open with win over Jennifer Brady
Caroline Wozniacki waves to fans after defeating Jennifer Brady during the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday. Credit: AP/Manu Fernandez
Caroline Wozniacki’s third-round win at the U.S. Open on Friday included a comeback. How fitting.
The 33-year-old Dane, who came back this summer after a three-year retirement, completed a rousing 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over American Jennifer Brady in front of a supportive crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium that included Billie Jean King.
Wozniacki not only dropped the first set, but she went down 0-2 in the second before steamrolling Brady.
Wozniacki will next face the winner of Friday night’s Coco Gauff-Elise Mertens match in Sunday’s round of 16.
“She came out and then played really well and aggressive and went for her forehand,” Wozniacki said. “I missed a few kind-of-layup backhands. That was a little frustrating for me. When I was down two-love in the second I just decided I'm not going to miss anymore. I'm going just start moving my feet even better and go for my shots and slowly I started chipping away and it started going my way.”
Wozniacki punctuated practically every winning point with a lefthanded fist pump. Once she got rolling, the 2018 Australian Open champion overwhelmed Brady, a 28-year-old who missed the last two years because of foot and ankle injuries.
This tournament is Brady’s fourth since her return. It’s Wozniacki’s third.
“I would have loved to keep the intensity up,” Brady said. “I just felt over time the legs were getting a little bit heavier. She was starting to break me down there.”
Wozniacki had two children during her retirement with her husband, former Knicks forward David Lee. She wore necklaces featuring the names of daughter Olivia and son James during Friday’s match.
Wozniacki reached the round of 16 in her third decade, starting in 2008 when she was 18.
“That makes me feel a little old,” she said. “I think that’s pretty cool.”
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
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