Naomi Osaka is back on the tennis courts of Australia as her much-anticipated comeback is finally on the horizon.
Osaka shared a photo of herself boarding a plane last weekend with the caption "on the way" to play her first tennis tournament in 15 months. The good news is that she has landed in Australia and is in Brisbane already, where she was pictured training and all smiles for the cameras.
Osaka, who hasn't played since September 2022, missed last season after taking maternity leave. She kept the news of pregnancy a top secret while preparing for last year's Australian Open before withdrawing just days before the tournament.
The Japanese star later spilled the beans and admitted she was expecting her first child with her boyfriend - the American rapper Cordae. As a result, she was forced to write off the season. Osaka gave birth to a baby girl in July 2023 and wasted no time to begin postpartum exercises.
Osaka confirmed she would play "way more tournaments" in 2024 than in recent years. Currently unranked and restarting her tennis career at 26, she'll do so with two familiar people from her past.
The four-time Grand Slam champion has brought Belgian coach Wim Fisette and her former physiotherapist Florian Zitzelsberger back. Hiring them is a great starting point, even if it comes under controversial circumstances.
Osaka will play at the WTA 500 event in Brisbane, which begins on December 31, 2023. She has accepted a wild card from the tournament organizers and will lead a pack of top stars, including Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.
The former World No. 1 has a Special Ranking of World No. 46, so she'll be entitled to use it at the Australian Open and as many as 11 more tournaments within one year because of going on maternity leave. Osaka will be unseeded at the year's first major, which means she could play the likes of Coco Gauff or Iga Swiatek in the first round.
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