Former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki said she hoped her young children were in bed after progressing to the second round when Magda Linette retired injured on Sunday.
Wozniacki, who won the title in Melbourne in 2018, came out of retirement last year during the North American hard-court swing and reached the last-16 at the US Open.
The Danish star, 33, was leading 6-2, 2-0 when the Polish 20th seed was forced to quit the evening match on Margaret Court Arena.
“This is not how I wanted to finish it, and I really hope that it’s not too serious and that she’ll recover soon,” she said.
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The former world number one, who retired in 2020, said it felt good to be back at Melbourne Park, six years after she lifted her only Grand Slam title.
“I feel at home here,” she said. “The court brings back amazing memories.”
But she was keen that two-year-old Oliva and one-year-old James would be fast asleep by the time she got back to her accommodation.
“They are used to going to bed at 7:30 pm on the dot,” she said. “After that it’s mummy and daddy’s time to enjoy. I think they watched the first 30 minutes of my match.”
Wozniacki broke her opponent three times in the opening set to take a firm grip on the match on the first day of action at the season’s opening Grand Slam.
Linette, who reached the semi-finals last year, took a medical timeout when trailing 5-2, re-emerging with heavy strapping to her left thigh.
But she decided she could not continue early in the second set and Wozniacki will now face 20-year-old qualifier Maria Timofeeva in the second round.
Wozniacki unashamedly said her aim was to lift the Australian Open trophy again.
“I have worked hard to be here, to be back on this stage,” she said. “I didn’t think I would be back here after having two kids ... I’m playing well, so why not me?”
Magda Linette getting medical attention | Photo Credit: Getty Images
OTHER RESULTS:
Women’s eighth seed Maria Sakkari admitted her relief after she beat Nao Hibino of Japan 6-4, 6-1, her first Grand Slam win since last year’s Australian Open.
“I lost three first rounds in my last three Grand Slams,” she said. “For me, it was a very difficult match today emotionally. I’m happy I managed to do the job right and play a good second set.”
Also advancing were 2021 U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, who beat 17-year-old Sara Bejlek 7-6 (5), 6-2 and No. 9 Barbora Krejcikova, who rallied from a set and a break down to beat Mai Hontama 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
“It wasn’t a perfect match, but I’m just glad that I was able to fight through some of the tough moments that I encountered in the first set and just kept fighting,” said Fernandez, who had a first-round loss at last year’s U.S. Open. “I think it was a good first round, get a feel of the court, get a feel of the tournament, and I can just improve from there.”
Teenager Brenda Fruhvirtova recorded her first Grand Slam win, the 16-year-old Czech beating Anna Bogdan 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. Meanwhile, Russian qualifier Maria Timofeeva had a 6-2, 6-4 win over Alize Cornet, who was appearing in a women’s record 68th consecutive Grand Slam event.
Amanda Anisimova continued her comeback from a career break with a 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 13-seeded Liudmila Samsonova.
Novak Djokovic was set to open his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title in the night session on Rod Laver Arena. He’s on a 28-match winning streak at Melbourne Park.
The 10-time Australian Open champion’s first-round match is against Dino Prizmic, who won the junior title at last year’s French Open.
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