"I always root for her, I think I always have": Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki united by motherhood on WTA Tour

The tennis players Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki are having a good tournament at Indian Wells after their return to the WTA Tour following maternity leave, and both have expressed mutual support. Two of the best players in recent years share their recent return to the Tour, with Kerber at 36 years old and Wozniacki at 33 years old.

Both former world No. 1 players are already in the third round of the tournament. Kerber secured consecutive victories against Petra Martic and the 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko, while Wozniacki did the same against Zhu Lin and the 25th seed Donna Vekic.

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Kerber's motivation beyond tennis

Angie Kerber commented after her victory against 'Penko' on the main reason for her comeback: “For me, the biggest motivation is the love for the sport,” 3-times Grand Slam champion said. “I love to compete, being out there today as well, having this crowd, having the emotions, this gives me everything.”

Additionally, she acknowledged a new perspective on sports after becoming a mother for the first time: “Having my daughter [by] my side, it’s even more inspiring for me,” she said.

“There’s something bigger than tennis as well, which I learned, and it’s not tennis anymore, it’s her. And having the combination of doing something I love and having her by my side, this is the most inspiration for me,” the German athlete said.

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“It’s just about organization,” Kerber added. “I think that’s the most important thing. You have to be really flexible, as well, and to really make a good schedule for the day.”

“I try when I step on-site to switch [on] my tennis player, but when I’m out of the site, I just turn my life to being a mom and just try to forget about [tennis], to really enjoying every moment, especially here in Indian Wells,” she said.

The 2019 Indian Wells finalist also spoke about balancing motherhood and high-performance sports: “She is not a child who is crying all the time, so she’s really calm,” Kerber said. “I think she’s enjoying it as well. But of course, sometimes you have nights where you will not get so much sleep, but it’s all worth it.”

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Wozniacki's enduring support for Kerber

Wozniacki has been back a little longer since her return, as she came back during the US hardcourt swing in August 2023, although unlike Kerber, she had a break of more than 3 years. Since then, she has played in 7 tournaments and has shown good consistency despite the long absence.

The former world No. 1 commented on Kerber's moment after motherhood and admitted that she always supports the German: 'I think I always root for her, I think I always have, for a very long time,' Wozniacki said.

“Not having played many matches, it’s not easy, especially not easy playing a player like Ostapenko, so for her to really have the grit and the fight and the movement that she had today, and the way she was moving around the ball, I think just shows that she keeps playing better and better for every match – she feels more and more comfortable.

“That was good to see. I definitely watched some on TV when I was waiting for my match,” Wozniacki concluded.

Bastien Fachan

@BastienFachan

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The day is March 8, 2024, and Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki just defeated two top 25 seeds at a WTA 1000 event

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