The struggles faced by the WTA players on court is widely addressed, however, few have spoken up about dealing with the pressure that comes with returning to the court after a maternity leave. In the last few years, top players like Noami Osaka, Taylor Townsend, Elina Svitolina, and more have all been off the court for a duration of the year due to their pregnancies. While it’s exciting to see these players experience joys in their personal life and come back to the court, rarely is it an easy ride for them. Rennae Stubbs and Caroline Wozniacki are here to validate these challenges.

Recently speaking on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, Caroline Wozniacki shared her experience after a brief retirement in 2020 to start her family. She welcomed her daughter Olivia on June 11, 2021, and her son James on October 24, 2022. Wozniacki returned to professional tennis in 2023, a decision Stubbs praised as “mature.” Reflecting on her pregnancies, Wozniacki said, “The first two pregnancies I had, it’s just so weird. You’re used to being so fit your whole life and your body is what carries you throughout your career, and then you just see it change so rapidly over nine months and it’s a weird feeling.” She described the emotional challenge of returning to competition after such profound physical changes.

The closest to this example would be Naomi Osaka, who gave birth in July 2023, also faced hurdles upon her return. After a brief comeback, she struggled with early exits and mental health issues related to weight gain. Her 2024 season was plagued by injuries, culminating in an early end at the China Open. Now, after two years, she’s finally finding her footing again, reaching the finals of the ASB Classic despite a back injury affecting her performance at the Australian Open.

Wozniacki emphasized the incredible resilience of women: “It’s pretty crazy what the woman’s body can do. Like, we’re making a human.” Stubbs echoed this sentiment: “You can say it, but we’re f******* amazing.”

Caroline Wozniacki’s comeback in 2023 was no walk in the park.

Wozniacki discusses balancing motherhood with her tennis career

Wozniacki faced early exits in her first three tournaments, struggling to find her groove. Things didn’t get easier in 2024, and during her US Open run, she opened up about dealing with “mom guilt.” She was 34 back then, and Wozniacki still loved tennis just as much as she did a decade ago

In a press conference that month, as reported by Puntodebreak, Wozniacki said, “Of course, marriage is a big deal, and I am very happily married, but when you get married, that doesn’t really change your preparation for training, matches, or days off. Having children is a big difference.” Olivia and James were still toddlers at the time. While she was so grateful to have them in her life every day, calling it ‘the best job in the world,’ balancing motherhood and tennis? That was a real challenge. “I try to ensure that I remain a fully present mother while also trying to balance being the best tennis player I can be.”

Wozniacki made it to the round of 16 at the 2024 US Open, which was amazing considering she was ranked 71st in the world and hadn’t dropped a single set. But, it wasn’t easy being apart from her family. “My family is the most important thing to me,” she added.

So what kept her going? Well, as she phrased it: “But at the same time, I love winning. I have to find the balance between dedicating time to myself, recovering, playing, and training as much as I can, and not feeling guilty about taking a few hours away from the kids.” Even with all these challenges, Wozniacki reached the last 16 of the US Open for the second year in a row by beating Jessika Ponchet 6-3, 6-2.

This marked the 23rd time Wozniacki reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam—second only to Victoria Azarenka among players ranked in the top 300. Overall, she dropped just 12 games in her first three matches at this year’s US Open. While not competing in the 2025 season, Wozniacki aimed to peak for major events. With over 50 Grand Slam main draws under her belt and a victory at the 2018 Australian Open, will we see her back on court soon? Only time will tell!