Naomi Osaka is set to return to professional tennis after a spell on the sidelines. She has been awarded a wild card for the Silicon Valley Classic.
The four-time Grand Slam champion's last appearance was at the French Open in May. She lost in the first round at Roland-Garros to the 2019 semifinalist in Paris, Amanda Anisimova.
Osaka has been struggling since then with an Achilles injury. Despite employing training methods like using an underwater treadmill, she was not ready to play at Wimbledon and withdrew from the event.
Grass is not Osaka's favorite surface. She was undoubtedly disappointed to miss the third Grand Slam of the year, but the 24-year-old could console herself with the reality that winning Wimbledon was unlikely.
However, missing the North American hardcourt season would have been different. Osaka is a hardcourt specialist, as shown by all her Grand Slam titles coming on the surface. Fortunately, the Japanese star will be featuring in North America.
The Silicon Valley Classic's tournament director, Vickie Gunnarsson, confirmed Osaka's participation in the tournament, which begins on August 1st in San Jose.
“We are very excited to have Naomi Osaka returning to the Bay Area. She made her WTA debut at our event and watching her grow both on and off the court has been amazing. She is not only an incredible player but her commitment to equality and social change is truly inspiring.”
Osaka joins a star-studded field at the Silicon Valley Classic. Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, Ons Jabeur, Coco Gauff, and the 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu are among the players set to feature at the tournament.
The Japanese player's presence in San Jose will improve the event. Having a deep run with such a strong field of players will be challenging, but Osaka can beat anyone at her best on hardcourts.