Naomi Osaka withdraws from her first 2026 tournament to sign up for a different one

Naomi Osaka has reversed her decision to start 2026 at a WTA 250 event in favor of playing at a mixed tournament with men's and women's players.

The four-time Grand Slam champion began her second season since returning from maternity leave at the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland. She played some of her best tennis since 2022 to reach the final.

Unfortunately, her first final in close to three years ended in retirement because of an injury. That handed Clara Tauson, who went on to enjoy a very impressive season, her maiden WTA title in a way she definitely did not want.

Osaka initially intended to return to the ASB Classic, which would have been a significant boost for the tournament. Often, 250-level tournaments struggle to attract significant names because of strict WTA entry rules.

The former world No. 1 will now start her season at the 2026 United Cup. It is a team event that allows players to represent their country, with each tie containing a women's singles, men's singles, and mixed doubles match.

This year's United Cup is scheduled from January 2nd to 11th. It began in December last year, and players probably welcome the slightly later start date so they can enjoy a few extra days at home.

Osaka has a chance to hit the ground running at the United Cup in Sydney and Perth. If she carries the momentum from her improved level since Tomasz Wiktorowski became her coach, 2026 could be a special year for the Japanese star.

Many expected Coco Gauff to start her 2025 season at the ASB Classic, where she was the two-time defending champion. Despite being a Top 10 player, she would have been eligible as the previous year's winner.

Instead, Gauff made her United Cup debut. The 21-year-old played at a similar level to what fans witnessed at the 2024 WTA Finals, where she won a maiden title with an epic deciding set tiebreak triumph against Qinwen Zheng.

Gauff did not lose once for Team USA, securing four singles and two doubles victories. That included a superb performance against Iga Swiatek in the final against Team Poland before Taylor Fritz sealed the title by overcoming Hubert Hurkacz.

Australian fans were delighted when Gauff was confirmed for the 2026 iteration. Fritz is also set to return, meaning the formidable duo that led the team to success almost 12 months ago will be back in force.

Although there are always multiple strong teams at the United Cup, Team USA will undoubtedly start as the favorite. The Poles, who finished as the runner-up in 2024 and 2025, have confirmed Swiatek and Hurkacz's return for 2026.

Naomi Osaka's commitment to the tournament for Team Japan guarantees a great line-up in January. Players enjoy the unique opportunity to play in a professional tournament alongside ATP and WTA stars.

The Brisbane International, ASB Classic, and Hong Kong Open are the other tournaments scheduled for the opening week.