Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki announced on Thursday that she is set to return to professional tennis, three years after retiring to start a family.

Wozniacki, 32, bowed out in 2020 after winning 30 WTA titles including her sole Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open in 2018.

"Over these past three years away from the game I got to make up for lost time with my family, I became a mother and now have two beautiful children I am so grateful for," Wozniacki said on Twitter.

"But I still have goals I want to accomplish. I want to show my kids that you can pursue your dreams no matter your age or role. We decided as a family it's time. I'm coming back to play and I can't wait!"

Wozniacki has two children with former NBA player David Lee, two-year-old Olivia and James, born last October.

"I'm going to play the US Open," she wrote in an article in Vogue Magazine.

"There's just an electric atmosphere in New York that I can't get enough of, and I've played so well there for years and years.

"Also, David was a New York Knick for five seasons -- we both love it there."

The Dane said she would "start out playing in Montreal just to get back into the groove" from August 7-13 and then head to New York, where she was twice a finalist.

"After that, I'll have a couple of months to prepare for Australia, and we'll take it from there. The Paris Olympics are definitely a goal too."

Wozniacki reached world number one for the first time in 2010, and retired after the Australian Open in 2020 as she battled rheumatoid arthritis. (AFP)