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Caroline Wozniacki on Roland-Garros, WTA Stars, and Broadcasting

The former World No. 1 returned to the TNT Sports broadcast for Roland-Garros.
Megha Gupta|
Caroline Wozniacki joins TNT Sports' Roland-Garros broadcast crew for the 2026 edition of the tournament.
Caroline Wozniacki joins TNT Sports' Roland-Garros broadcast crew for the 2026 edition of the tournament. | Courtesy of TNT Sports

In 2017, a then-11th-seeded Caroline Wozniacki defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova in three sets to reach the quarterfinals of Roland-Garros, matching her best result at the tournament. Nine years later, she returns to Paris as a commentator for TNT Sports alongside tennis stars such as Sloane Stephens and John Isner.

The Dane is no stranger to offering analysis for a major broadcast network. Wozniacki joined ESPN as an analyst for Wimbledon in 2023, announcing her return to tennis that same year. The former World No. 1 has since balanced her broadcasting duties with those on the tennis court, bringing her expertise to TNT Sports' inaugural Roland-Garros coverage last year.

"I'm really excited to be part of the team again this year," Wozniacki tells me over the phone a week before the tournament. "I think I can bring a lot to the broadcasting because I have played against most of these players on tour and practiced against them multiple times."

In all that has changed in the years since Wozniacki first stepped out on tour, she says one thing has stayed the same: the excitement and desire to win a Grand Slam. With four slams per year, it feels as if there's simultaneously too many and too few chances for players to achieve their crowning glory at a major, especially if you have the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner playing in the draw.

Wozniacki agrees, although she pointed out that this year's tournament was special in that there are so many favorites in the women's draw who could possibly win. When I asked her who had caught her eye, she named the following:

"Kostyuk, who won in Madrid, who's doing really well, who we've kind of been waiting for a while to kind of make that next step from a top junior to really properly making a splash in the women's game. I feel like she has found something, whether that's mentally or physically, that I think she's playing very well."

"Svitolina, the old player who's been on tour for so long and still hasn't broken through in a grand slam, but I put her up as a dark horse for this tournament. I feel like she's getting closer and closer with her game, but also mentally, when she does go further in tournaments, I feel like she has a lot more belief now than she used to have."

(Wozniacki's prediction proved true, with both Ukrainians playing a physical three-setter in the quarterfinals. Kostyuk overcame her compatriot but fell to eventual champion Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals.)

"Coco, who's defending her championship. I think when you look at someone like Coco, she's obviously an incredible competitor and an incredible athlete, and that's how she's winning so many of her matches. She's mentally so gritty." (Unfortunately, Gauff's competitive spirit failed her as she fell to Anastasia Potapova in the third round.)

"Sabalenka, who hasn't had the lead-up that she was wishing for. But you can never count her out. She's had obviously a great year before the clay season and has been really playing extremely well." (Sabalenka had looked nearly unstoppable, refusing to drop a set until the quarterfinals, where she fell apart under Diana Shnaider's clinical play.)

"Rybakina, who I wouldn't say is a favorite for the clay, but later on in the year, I think she has the possibility to win more slams." (Wozniacki was right here, as the 26-year-old fell to Yuliia Starodubtseva in the second round.)

The variety of playing styles on tour is increasing, according to Wozniacki. There was a time when it felt as if women's tennis would reside solely in the hands of power hitters, as evidenced by Serena Williams' dominance on tour and the subsequent rise of Victoria Azarenka and Ana Ivanovic. Lately, players are improving their ability to defend, drawing out longer rallies and allowing themselves an opportunity to play from the net.

"You have power players, you have defenders, you have players that can kind of go back and forth, and you still see that in today's game," Wozniacki said. "I like that. I feel like you really have a good mix of people that can counterpunch, so can play aggressive, but also can go back and defend... I like that you have that variety of players still in the game at this point."

While the increased defensive tactics diversify the women's game, this ultimately presents a paradox on clay. A big misconception of playing on the surface, Wozniacki says, is that you have to be an unbelievable defender to win. She would know, given that she is widely considered one of the most defensive players of her generation.

"I think sometimes if you have a big, powerful game, you don't need to defend as much even on the clay," Wozniacki said. "That's also why you've seen a few different types of women's players win Roland-Garros over the years."

A prime example would be Jelena Ostapenko's win in 2017. Known as an aggressive baseliner with flat shots, Ostapenko's run to La Coupe Suzanne Lenglen was defined by 54 winners. Iga Swiatek's three consecutive titles were won in a similarly aggressive fashion, and like Ostapenko, earned with a high amount of winners. Ironically, Ostapenko is Swiatek's Achilles heel, leading their head-to-head 6-0 as the only active player to have an undefeated record against the Pole.

Mentality is another aspect of the game that is continuously growing, particularly players' discussion of their own mental health. Many athletes on both the men's and women's tour have been open about their struggles with the weight of expectation, particularly at the larger stages. Wozniacki thinks the shift is important given that a player's mentality is a defining aspect of their game.

"Everyone knows how to hit a forehand and a backhand," she said. "In practice, we can all play at our highest level, but it really is when it matters and when the pressure is on, you need to be able to perform. That comes down to how you feel mentally and how mentally you're able to adjust. This is where the great players differentiate themselves from the really good players."

Wozniacki knows what that pressure feels like. The Dane lost two Grand Slam finals before earning her coveted maiden major title at the Australian Open in 2018. Returning to the court as a broadcaster, she luckily avoids the stress she played with for years.

"I put less pressure on myself," she said. "I obviously want to analyze the games to the best of my ability, but at the same time, I don't feel like I go to a tournament, and I may go home today or tomorrow. You just go in there, and you know you're there for two weeks, and you can enjoy it in a very different way and appreciate the game for what it is."

Following her comeback on tour in 2023, Wozniacki took the 2025 season off, giving birth to her third child in July of that year. While she indicated that her return to tour was unlikely while speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, she continues her love for the game through broadcasting.

Throughout our conversation, Wozniacki emphasized her excitement about still being a part of the game. Broadcasting, she says, allows her the freedom to enjoy herself in the sport she's spent the majority of her life dedicated to.

"You see things a lot clearer when you're on the outside watching a match, and it's a lot easier to say, why is she not doing this or that?" she said. "You can appreciate watching the other players play and everyone's game styles and playing styles in a very different way than when I was playing...I think we have a fun and great team. I think we work well together. It was a great first year last year, and I think it's going to only get better as the years progress."

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Megha Gupta
MEGHA GUPTA

Megha Gupta is a multimedia journalist studying at Columbia University. She has a passion for exploring the intersections of fashion, culture, and sports, and previously covered the 2024 Paris Olympics at NBC Sports.

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