Naomi Osaka is jetting off to Australia, so she is officially all set to play her first tournament after a maternity absence.
The Japanese tennis star has been out of action since September 2022, precisely 15 months ago. Osaka played her last WTA tournament before going on an indefinite break in Tokyo, where she was forced to withdraw from the event due to illness.
Ahead of the 2023 Australian Open, the former World No. 1 shocked the tennis world when she announced that she was taking a leave of absence. Days later, Osaka admitted she was pregnant and writing off the 2023 tennis season.
After giving birth to her first child in July, she intended to return to the tour in 2024 and took the first steps of her comeback journey on the practice courts. Osaka is planning a busy schedule next year, which will see her more involved in competition.
In an interview with ESPN during the American summer, Osaka stated that she "missed" playing and that motherhood has "fueled a fire" in her. She will play her first WTA tournament in over a year at the star-studded WTA 500 tournament in Brisbane, where she has been granted a wild card.
The 26-year-old is entitled to a Special Ranking, which she'll utilize at the Australian Open - her expected Grand Slam return tournament where she will be among four former champions making a comeback. Because she will be unseeded, the four-time Grand Slam champion is a possible first-round draw for the Top 32 seeds.
"Nostalgia wave cause Australia otw (on the way)."
Osaka shared a picture of her luggage, checking in at the airport, and then sitting on a plane bound for Australia. With the new season set to kick off on New Year's Eve, several tennis players have already set foot on Australian soil to acclimatize to conditions and playing surface.
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