MONTREAL, Canada -- As Caroline Wozniacki readies her comeback to tennis at the Omnium National Bank Open, the former No.1 says she's aware of the challenge. On Tuesday, Wozniacki will play her first match in more than three years when she faces Australia's Kimberly Birrell in the first round of Montreal.
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"Tennis-wise, I feel like I'm doing great in practice and it's going to be just fine when I'm out there," Wozniacki told reporters on Media Day. "So I'm not stressing. I'm not worried. It's just about getting more and more matches in and the more I play the better I'm going to play. I hope that I'm going to be at my peak for the US Open.
"Realistically when you haven't been on tour and haven't played a match in so long, no matter how much you practice, how many practice sets you've done, you can never replicate being on a match court."
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When Wozniacki hung up her racquet after the 2020 Australian Open, the Hologic WTA Tour's Top 10 looked markedly different. Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep sat at No.1 and No.2. Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic rounded out the Top 5. Bianca Andreescu, Sofia Kenin, Kiki Bertens, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka finished out the Top 10.
None of those 10 are in the Top 10 now.
So what has changed about the game in the last three years?
"Well, Iga was not there," Caroline Garcia said, laughing. "I feel players are more powerful - even more than it used to be -- and more consistent. Athleticism is improving every single time. And bigger serves.
"So it's a good challenge. Let's see what she does. If she has the motivation to come back and she has the feeling inside her, I think it's great that she's following her gut."
Wozniacki has not strayed far from the game in her time on the sidelines. She has played the Legends doubles at the Grand Slams and worked in the commentary booth as well. Having that outside perspective, she believes, will be a boon as she acclimates to the tour's current landscape.
"I have to get into the match rhythm myself, but at least I know where I am, where I feel like I am doing very well, where I can improve," Wozniacki said. "It's a much clearer picture that you have when you've seen it from the outside."
During her time away from the tour, Wozniacki gave birth to her two children, Olivia and James. Along with her husband, David Lee, Wozniacki says the family has fully embraced the new adventure. If anything, having her family in tow has given her a whole new set of eyes through which to soak in tour life.
"It's not easy logistically with having children and traveling with them and doing all of that, but it's so worth it," Wozniacki said.
"Olivia has had a blast so far, these last four or five days we've been here. I've experienced more of Montreal in these last five days than I have in the many times I've been here before. So it's exciting for me too."
With plenty of practice sessions in Monaco and with other players in Montreal, Wozniacki is confident in her level. The only question is whether she can bring that form onto the competition court.
"At this point in my career and a lot of the players' careers that have been on tour for a long time, you know how to play your game," she said. "You know what you need to improve on or what you're doing great. But at the end of the day, a lot of it is mental and in important moments you need to be able to step up and play your best and not fear failure. You've got to want to take your opportunity to take your chances.
"I'm here. I've got nothing to lose. I have already done so much in my career and basically ticked off most of the goals that I had set. But I'm here because I love to compete. I love the sport, and I feel like I still have a lot to give to the sport. And doing it with the family just makes it so much more enjoyable."
