Caroline Wozniacki defeats rookie in US Open return

Caroline Wozniacki waves to the crowd in her return to the US Open. 

Caroline Wozniacki did well in her return to the US Open Monday night. Returning to Louis Armstrong Stadium was no problem for the former world number one, who handled her first major back against Tatiana Prozorova to win 6-3, 6-2 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center.

It marked the first match in a major for the Dane since the Australian Open three years ago when she retired. She returned to Montreal and Cincinnati, not making it deep into those tournaments, but was more than prepared to be back in comfortable surroundings. Prozorova made her major debut and got into the top 200 two months ago. Facing one of the biggest names in tennis was a big moment for Prozorova but also a nerve-wracking one.

Wozniacki suffered a break when it was her time to serve in the second but had a break in hand to start. She got into gear, with a serve to love in the fourth, and another in the sixth. By the end of the set, Wozniacki had three breaks of serve on Prozorova, completing the first in 39 minutes.

The second stretched out further as the competition from Prozorova grew. She challenged the Dane in the opening game, forcing deuce, but gained no break chances. She stopped two in the second game before holding serve on the first deuce. The 33-year-old struggled in the third but kept it together to contain the service. She finally got a grip of the second and tallied a break against Prozorova. By the time the match closed in, the Dane had a double break in hand and was broken back.

Wozniacki delivered the final blow in the eighth, gaining a breakpoint for the match to end in 1 hour and 22 minutes.