Japanese Tennis star Naomi Osaka marked her return to the game for the primary after 16 months on Monday in first spherical of the Brisbane Worldwide. A triumphant comeback that noticed her finest Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 7-6 (9).
“I used to be tremendous nervous the entire time,” the 26-year-old would concede put up match.
The 2-time Australian Open and US Open champion had pulled out of the primary grand slam of the 12 months in 2023, after revealing that she was pregnant, previous to which she’d solely featured as soon as since her exit from the 2022 US Open.
Naomi Osaka offers her first ‘come on’ in over a 12 months.
Extra of this in 2024 please 😌 pic.twitter.com/CvVlmVLZgs
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 1, 2024
“I really feel just like the final couple years I performed earlier than I had my daughter I didn’t return as a lot love as I used to be given. That’s what I need to do on this chapter. I simply actually respect individuals popping out & individuals understanding me and cheering for me. There was a time I used to be a bit of child simply making an attempt to look at my position fashions play,” Osaka remarked on her comeback.
The previous primary ranked participant, who’s primarily based in the US, gave start to her daughter Shai in July. When requested within the courtside interview what she discovered simpler, “closing out a match or getting a new child to sleep”, Osaka smilingly responded, “Shai likes to battle her sleep. So I’d say ideally enjoying tennis over altering diapers.”
Osaka can be eyeing a much-awaited grand slam return in Australia later this month following the tune up occasion in Queensland that may even see the reigning Australian open girls’s champion, Aryna Sabalenka in addition to the likes of Elena Rybakina, Jelena Ostapenko, Victoria Azarenka, Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens.