Osaka, happy with her game in her return to the courts

There were quite a few question marks on the return of Naomi Osaka to the tennis courts, but the four-time Grand Slam tournament winner proved she’s in good form and ready to come back to her old version.

The Japanese had been inactive since September 2022, when she featured in the Toray Pan Pacific Open. During that period she was able to focus and work on her mental-health issues and she had a child.

While there were doubts about when she would be making her return to the competition, she announced she would be back in action in Brisbane.

Osaka faced Tamara Korpatsch in the first round, and while the German player had been quite active and recorded some good results lately, Osaka still proved too strong and recorded her first win in 2024.

Osaka, “very proud” of her match

After almost one and a half years far away from the courts, Osaka got familiar again with the competitiveness of the WTA calendar and she passed her first test of the year with a good mark, as she defeated her opponent in straight sets.

“The last couple of years that I played before I had my daughter, I didn’t return as much love as I was given,” Osaka said. “I feel like that’s what I want to do in this chapter”, she said after beating Korpatsch 6-3, 7-6.

“Looking back on the match now, honestly I’m very proud of myself. I feel like I played at a pretty good level. I think my opponent played very well, as well”, she said speaking on the game.

“Honestly, all I can think of is, like, the consistent nerves that I had. So just getting through that tough match and hopefully building on it. I think maybe some of my decisions weren’t the best. But I think it’s better to have harder matches because it will train me for what’s to come”, Osaka added.

The Osaka-bred talent, who will be looking to win her third major in the Australian Open in a few days, will face Karolina Pliskova next in Brisbane.