Former World No. 1 tennis player Naomi Osaka is set to make a remarkable return to competitive tennis after a 15-month hiatus. The 26-year-old athlete, renowned for her formidable skills on the court, has been candid about her journey back to the sport and the significant changes she’s encountered during her time away.
In an interview from Brisbane, where she’s preparing for her comeback at the Brisbane International, Osaka revealed a noticeable transformation: she’s shed her trademark headphones, which she previously used as a shield against unwanted social interactions due to her introverted nature.
“It’s very new,” Osaka disclosed to WTA Insider. “I’m very surprised and shocked with myself. It’s cool to talk to the other players. Some of them have been saying welcome back, and I appreciate that a lot. I’m trying to soak it all in.”
Osaka’s last tournament appearance was in 2022 at Tokyo, where she withdrew due to illness before her second-round match against Beatriz Haddad Maia. Months later, she announced her pregnancy and subsequently welcomed her daughter Shai in July. However, for her comeback tour in Australia, Osaka opted to travel without her daughter, citing concerns about the long flight.
“After a few practice sessions in Brisbane, where she was a semifinalist in 2020, Osaka mentioned she’s gradually slipping back into competition mode,” she said, feeling more prepared to face the intensity of the tour with a fresh perspective.
“I feel like I’m more confident with who I am as a person,” Osaka expressed during Media Day. “I never tried to have conversations with other players before, and I think I definitely put a large wall up. Now I find myself interacting with people. It’s just really cool.”
Osaka attributed her newfound outlook to motherhood, emphasizing how the experience helped her appreciate tennis more profoundly and transformed her relationship with her body.
“I think in the time I had away, I appreciated the sport a lot more,” Osaka reflected. “After giving birth, I understood how physical and how much work it takes to get there.”
Emphasizing her resilience, Osaka described the challenges of childbirth as a transformative experience, instilling in her a deeper respect for her body’s capabilities.
“In the first couple of months, I was definitely nervous because I wasn’t in my own body,” she shared. “Slowly, step by step, we put in so much work and got myself to where I am now.”
While Osaka approaches her return with a quiet confidence in her progress, she remains curious about how her performance will hold up in competition after such a prolonged absence.
“Obviously I want to play well. I don’t have the expectation of winning. I just want to play well because I don’t know what my level is,” Osaka admitted.
Set to face No. 84 Korpatsch in her Brisbane opener, Osaka looks forward to her return to the court, acknowledging the challenges ahead while embracing the excitement of resuming her tennis journey.
Naomi Osaka in 2023
LLWLLWWLWL At the moment ranked no.661, Osaka played her last match on the 20th of September 2022 when she had to retire when playing against world no.204 Daria Gavrilova in the 1st round and the scoreline was 1-0 .
This year the Japanese has an overall 14-9 match record.
Naomi Osaka |
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