Caroline Wozniacki continued her dream comeback with a hard-fought victory over Jennifer Brady to reach the US Open fourth round.

Wozniacki, 33, battled back from a set and a break down to reach the last 16 in New York.

“I didn’t think I was going to be here again,” a delighted Wozniacki said after her win.

There were also wins for Iga Swiatek and Karolina Muchova on day five at Flushing Meadows.

Wozniacki, a two-time runner-up at the US Open, admitted afterwards that she “did not think I would be here again”.

“When I retired three years ago and when I had my two kids I thought I would only be watching from the outside,” she said.

“To actually be here and playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium in front of all you amazing people – and thank you for supporting me – that’s a dream come true.”

Wozniacki found herself a set down and a break down against Brady, who was also making a return to tennis after being sidelined for two years through injury.

However, Wozniacki broke back immediately to level the second set before going a double break up to force a decider.

Racing to a 5-0 lead before Brady finally held serve, Wozniacki wrapped up victory to set up a fourth-round tie with either home favourite and sixth seed Coco Gauff or Belgium’s Elise Mertens.

“I know both of them well and Coco – what an amazing couple of months she’s had, and then Elise – she’s been in the semi-final of a Grand Slam before,” Wozniacki said.

“I know their games very well. I’m going to just go home, enjoy a little time with my kids before they go to bed and then enjoy a nice dinner with my friends and my family.”

Swiatek continues title defence bid

World number one Swiatek reached the US Open last 16 with a dominant straight-set victory over Slovenia’s Juvan.

The pair have known each other since they were teenagers but defending champion Swiatek was ruthless in a 6-0 6-1 win New York, making only one unforced error in the first set and dropping just 15 points in the match.

“It is literally like playing against your sister because we’ve known each other for so long,” the Pole said.

“I didn’t like the fact that I was winning against my best friend, but I knew that I have to be really focused and not let myself think about that.

“I don’t have many friends but she’s my best friend so that was the toughest part for sure.”

After winning the first set in 24 minutes, Swiatek raced out to a 3-0 lead in the second.

When Slovenian Juvan finally won the next game to ensure she avoided a dreaded ‘double bagel’ she waved her arms and looked up to the sky in relief, with the crowd loudly cheering her on.

Swiatek, however, remained completely focused, winning the next three games to clinch the match before the pair shared a warm embrace at the net.

They won gold playing together at the Youth Olympics in 2018 and have previously spoken about sharing a love of reading.

Swiatek will play Jelena Ostapenko, who she has not beaten in three attempts, after the Latvian 20th seed fought back from a set down to beat American Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Elsewhere on Friday, French Open runner-up Muchova beat home favourite Taylor Townsend 7-6 (7-0) 6-3 to set up a fourth round meeting with China’s Wang Xinyu.

Gauff takes on Mertens in the night session in New York, while Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, the 15th seed, will play Zhu Lin of China.