The opening round of the ASB Classic in Auckland promises an exciting showdown between Elina Svitolina and Caroline Wozniacki—a match-up featuring two mothers who made their return to the tour in 2023 and swiftly notched significant accomplishments.
Svitolina’s inspiring comeback story
Former world No.3 Elina Svitolina gave birth to her first child in October 2022, taking a break from tennis for 13 months before making a comeback in April. Since her return, the Ukrainian’s journey has been one of the most remarkable tales on the Hologic WTA Tour. In an impressive display of skill and resilience, she clinched the Internationaux de Strasbourg title less than two months after resuming her tennis career. Her journey didn’t halt there; Svitolina continued her impressive streak, advancing to the quarterfinals at Roland Garros and the semifinals at Wimbledon.
View this post on Instagram
This trip to Auckland holds special significance for 29-year-old Svitolina as it marks the first time she’s accompanied by her daughter, Skai, in New Zealand. They cherished some relaxing moments together, as Svitolina joyfully shared on her Instagram.
Unstoppable mom Wozniacki
Caroline Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open champion, made a remarkable return to tennis after a hiatus following her retirement in January 2020 and the birth of two children. Despite limited tournament appearances this past season—Montreal, Cincinnati, and the US Open—Wozniacki demonstrated her prowess, notably defeating prominent players like Petra Kvitova and Jennifer Brady en route to the US Open’s fourth round.
View this post on Instagram
The 33-year-old Wozniacki is also traveling with her family. In-between her practice sessions and media commitments, she managed to carve out time to take her daughter Olivia and son James for a visit to the Auckland zoo.
Head-to-head record: Svitolina leads Wozniacki 4-1
Svitolina and Wozniacki have faced each other five times, with the Ukrainian winning four of their meetings, including their last one at the 2018 WTA Finals in Singapore–a tournament Svitolina ultimately triumphed at. All their clashes happened on hard courts, just as will be the case in Auckland.
The winner of the match between Svitolina and Wozniacki will next face either former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who will be playing her first tournament since the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in April, or qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
