Osaka Makes Another Schedule Decision And Signs Up For Dubai Championships

Thursday, 15 February 2024 at 00:15

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byAlex Waite

Naomi Osaka will participate in the 2024 Dubai Championships after the Japanese player gained entry to the competition using her protected ranking.

Osaka has been on the comeback trail since the start of 2024 after the four-time Grand Slam champion returned at the Brisbane International in January. The 26-year-old then made her major comeback at the Australian Open but crashed out in the first round following a defeat to Caroline Garcia.

Since her early elimination at Melbourne Park, Osaka turned her attention to the Abu Dhabi Open, and she is now competing in the Qatar Open, where she reached the quarter-finals and won back-to-back competitive matches for the first time since 2022.

Now, Osaka's next steps were confirmed, as she would continue her Middle-Eastern leg in February at the WTA 1000 event, the Dubai Championships. The tournament organizers announced her participation, and Tournament Director Salah Tahlak commented on it.

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"We’re delighted to have Naomi with us in Dubai for this year’s tournament. We have such a strong women’s line up this year, so having someone of Naomi’s pedigree and stature is even more good news."

Osaka will join a star-studded lineup heading to the 2024 Dubai Championships. Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur, Coco Gauff, and Maria Sakkari are just some of the top players who will be competing at the competition at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre.

The American player came back to professional tennis in January after 15 months away from the game. During her time away from the court, Osaka focused on her mental health after considering walking away from the sport completely.

The two-time US and Australian Open champion also gave birth to her first child. The WTA Dubai Tennis Championships will take place between February 18 and 24. 2024 is just the second consecutive season where the WTA competition in Dubai will be a WTA 1000 event, retaining this status from 2023.