Caroline Wozniacki headed for early retirement?

US OPEN semi-finalist Caroline Wozniacki refused to dampen speculation today that she is on the verge of retiring from tennis.

Kiss goodbye?

US OPEN semi-finalist Caroline Wozniacki refused to dampen speculation today that she is on the verge of retiring from tennis.

The Danish star’s father Piotr had been quoted in national media as suggesting that his daughter was unlikely to play beyond next year.

“We have not taken any final decision, but as I understand her, it will not be a long career,” he was quoted as saying.

The 26-year-old Wozniacki refused to knock back her father’s opinion after reaching her first grand slam semi-final in two years.

“I don’t want to really talk about that now. When I feel ready to open up and say something then I will, but for now I’m just here to play this tournament,” the former world No. 1 said after beating Anastasija Sevastova 6-0 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

“Hopefully I have two more matches here. Yeah, it’s really all I’m focused on right now.” Wozniacki, whose ranking has slumped to 74 after a series of injury setbacks this year, faces Germany’s Angelique Kerber on Thursday for a place in the US Open final.

Wozniacki is ranked only 74th after a tough season that included injuries and zero grand slam match wins until last week.

Caroline Wozniacki’s father has opened up a can of worms.

DJOKER’S FREE RIDE

That Novak Djokovic would reach his 10th consecutive US Open semi-final should surprise no one.

That he’s done it by playing only two complete matches because three opponents pulled out of the tournament with injuries is as odd as can be.

Djokovic, the No. 1 seed and defending champion, once again needed to put in very little work, advancing when No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga stopped because of a hurt left knee after the first point of their quarter-final’s third set Tuesday night.

The first two sets went Djokovic’s way 6-3 6-2. At the ensuing changeover, Tsonga was visited by a trainer and had his left leg taped below the knee. Tsonga double-faulted to begin the third set, then retired from the match.

This came after Djokovic’s second-round opponent, Jiri Vesely, withdrew from the tournament with a sore left forearm. And the man Djokovic was supposed to play in the third round, Mikhail Youzhny, quit after six games because of a strained left hamstring.

During his on-court interview, Djokovic was posed the question on everyone’s mind by ESPN’s Brad Gilbert: “What in the world is going on?”

“You tell me. I don’t know, really,” Djokovic replied.

“Obviously, I have to say it again: I really wish Jo a quick recovery. It’s never nice to be on the court in a quarter-final of a grand slam and retiring a match after a few sets.”

In the semi-finals, Djokovic will play No. 10 Gael Monfils, who advanced earlier against No. 24 Lucas Pouille, the man who eliminated Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. Playing steadily, and with only a dose of the spectacular, Monfils reached his first major semi-final since 2008 by beating an error-prone Pouille 6-4 6-3 6-3.

Novak Djokovic is in cruise control.

SPECTATORS DUDDED

All in all, the spectators with tickets for today did not get much competitive or quality tennis. All four matches were decided in straight sets — or, in the case of Djokovic vs Tsonga, even fewer. In the first women’s quarter-final, Roberta Vinci fell apart after losing the opening set on a foot fault, allowing No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber to take the last nine games and win 7-5 6-0.

Vinci was the runner-up at Flushing Meadows a year ago, reaching her first major final by stunning Serena Williams to end the American’s bid for the first calendar-year Grand Slam in more than a quarter-century.

Kerber, who has a chance to overtake Williams at No. 1 in the WTA rankings after the tournament, moved into her third grand slam semi-final of the year. She beat Williams to win the Australian Open for her first major championship, then lost to Williams in the Wimbledon final in July.

Kerber’s first US Open semi-final since 2011 will come against two-time runner-up Wozniacki.