Wozniacki gets early Australian Open wild card

Former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki has been awarded one of the first wild cards for the 2024 Australian Open, and she is planning to bring her two young children to the scene of her biggest Grand Slam triumph.

Wozniacki, who is the 2018 Australian Open women’s champion, and six Australian players were granted the first batch of wild cards.

The 33-year-old Wozniacki returned to topflight tennis in August after more than three years off the tour. She played in Montreal and Cincinnati before making a run to the fourth round of the US Open, where she lost to eventual champion Coco Gauff.

“I have so many wonderful memories of Melbourne, and of course winning the Australian Open is an all-time career highlight,” Wozniacki, who was ranked No. 242 this week, told Australian Open organizers Wednesday.

Wozniacki won her only Grand Slam singles title in Australia two years before she left the sport in early 2020 to start a family. She spent time working as a TV analyst, and now she and former NBA player David Lee are the parents of two children.

She said she planned to travel to the tournament at Melbourne Park with her daughter, Olivia, and her son, James.

“I can’t wait to share it with my family and my kids,” she said.

Tournament director Craig Tiley announced in October that three former Australian Open champions — Naomi Osaka, Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber — were set to return to the year’s first major following maternity leave.