Naomi Osaka Gears Up for Tennis Comeback at the Brisbane International Tournament

Naomi Osaka, former world number one and new mother, was seen on the practice court this Wednesday, preparing for her eagerly awaited comeback to tennis at the Brisbane International.

Osaka is set to make her return to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) at the event, which kicks off this Sunday at Pat Rafter Arena. The champion of both the Australian and U.S. Opens, Osaka withdrew from last year’s Australian Open in Melbourne before later announcing her pregnancy.

Osaka, who is based in the U.S., and her partner, American rapper Cordae, welcomed their daughter Shai in Los Angeles in July.

Since her appearance at the 2021 U.S. Open in New York, Osaka has participated in only one match. In this match at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September 2021, she was leading Daria Gavrilova 1-0 when Gavrilova sustained a severe knee injury, leading to her withdrawal from the match.

Cameron Pearson, the tournament director, noted Osaka’s enthusiasm for her return in Brisbane. “She arrived on Christmas morning and immediately hit the courts for practice, skipping the Christmas pudding to focus on her training,” he said on Wednesday.

Rafael Nadal is also making a comeback from injury in Brisbane, joining a 32-player ATP field that’s so competitive that Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and 2020 U.S. Open winner Dominic Thiem need to qualify to play. Despite their past achievements, including Thiem’s 2020 Australian Open final and Berrettini’s semifinal appearance two years later, both currently rank outside the top-60 cutoff for automatic entry into this season-opener.

The highest-ranked male participant is Holger Rune at number 8. The tournament will also feature American Ben Shelton and three-time Grand Slam singles champion Andy Murray.

In the women’s 54-player draw, notable entries include current Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jelena Ostapenko, Victoria Azarenka, Sofia Kenin, and Sloane Stephens.