Japanese Tennis star Naomi Osaka marked her return to the sport for the first after 16 months on Monday in first round of the Brisbane International. A triumphant comeback that saw her best Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 7-6 (9).
“I was super nervous the whole time,” the 26-year-old would concede post match.
The two-time Australian Open and US Open champion had pulled out of the first grand slam of the year in 2023, after revealing that she was pregnant, prior to which she’d only featured once since her exit from the 2022 US Open.
Naomi Osaka gives her first ‘come on’ in over a year.
More of this in 2024 please 😌 pic.twitter.com/CvVlmVLZgs
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 1, 2024
“I feel like the last couple years I played before I had my daughter I didn’t return as much love as I was given. That’s what I want to do on this chapter. I just really appreciate people coming out & people knowing me and cheering for me. There was a time I was a little kid just trying to watch my role models play,” Osaka remarked on her comeback.
The former number one ranked player, who’s based in the United States, gave birth to her daughter Shai in July. When asked in the courtside interview what she found easier, “closing out a match or getting a newborn to sleep”, Osaka smilingly responded, “Shai likes to fight her sleep. So I’d say preferably playing tennis over changing diapers.”
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Osaka will be eyeing a much-awaited grand slam return in Australia later this month following the tune up event in Queensland that will also see the reigning Australian open women’s champion, Aryna Sabalenka as well as the likes of Elena Rybakina, Jelena Ostapenko, Victoria Azarenka, Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens.
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