Caroline Wozniacki, 24, Says She’s ‘Extremely Old,’ Worries Game Getting Too Fast
Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki is not past her prime. But her competitors seem to get younger and younger, making Wozniacki worry that maybe at age 24 she is “extremely old.”
On day two of the Australian Open, Caroline Wozniacki played against 18-year-old American Taylor Townsend. She beat Townsend, 7-6 (1), 6-2, but it was an extreme challenge from the up and comer.
After the game, she sat down for an interview with the people at the Australian Open and touched a bit on the eternally young face of professional tennis.
“Yeah, I’m 24 now, so I’m extremely old (smiling). I wouldn’t go that far to say I’m a generation above. I think that’s stretching it a little bit. I’ve been on tour for a few years now, I’ve been here quite a few times. I definitely like I’ve gotten experience. It’s nice to be back, kind of knowing what to expect.”
Of course, Wozniacki was joking about being extremely old, but that doesn’t change that fact that many of tennis’ rising stars are extremely young. An idea Caroline reinforced on her Twitter feed.
So many young players at this years @australianopen, guys and girls born in 94, 95, 96.. Makes me feel old
— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) January 20, 2015
Her fans on the Australian Open account didn’t let her get away with the comment though.
@CaroWozniacki Old Ladies can’t do this, Caro ? pic.twitter.com/9JybYyIkWN
— Australian Open (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2015
To be fair, there are plenty of young ladies, and gentlemen, who also can’t do that.
Wozniacki isn’t too old for comebacks either. The tennis pro has rejuvenated her game after falling to the rank of 18th place in the world. Now Wozniacki is back up to 8th according to USA Today.
Still, Caroline has some worries for the future of the game. As she explained in the interview, the game is getting faster, and players’ bodies have a tough time keeping up.
“The speed of the game keeps on increasing. I think we see that all the time. I think that’s going to be a big factor as well in the future. If the game keeps going this way, if the ball keeps being light, fast, the courts are fast, I think we’re going to see more injuries in the future.”
Caroline Wozniacki likely has plenty of years left on the court. Kimiko Date-Krumm set the world record as the oldest top 100 female tennis player in 2014 at the age of 43. In comparison, 24-year-old Wozniacki is just getting started.
