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Naomi Osaka kicked off 2024 with a win at the Brisbane International. It was her first professional match since the Toray Pan Pacific Open in September 2022.
On Monday (January 1), Naomi Osaka defeated Germany's Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 7-6 (11-9) in the first round of the Brisbane International.
Naomi Osaka's pregnancy led to her absence from the WTA scene. Osaka and her boyfriend, Cordae, welcomed their daughter Shai in July 2023. The Japanese athlete has been racing back to fitness ever since.
In early November 2023, the organizers of Brisbane International announced that the four-time Grand Slam champion would return in the 2024 edition of the tournament, set to begin on December 31, 2023, and end on January 7, 2024.
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Her return to the tennis court after a 15-month hiatus has gotten tennis fans, on the internet, buzzing. Here are a couple of reactions from fans.
After her victory over Korpatsch, a fan on X (formerly Twitter) said that it's almost like she never left and would not be surprised if she becomes the first mother to win a Grand Slam since Kim Clijsters in 2009.
“I’ll be honest it’s almost as if Osaka never left. Serve is serving, strokes aren’t rusty at all… it would NOT surprise me one bit if she became the first mother since Kim to win a singles slam title. And she’s so young that she could win the most slams as a mother,” the fan said
A fan said Naomi Osaka's victory in her first tennis match after a prolonged period is an ideal way to begin 2024.
“Naomi Osaka winning her first tennis match in forever is the perfect way to start 2024,” The fan said
A third fan shared that he missed hearing the sound of the ball off Osaka's racquet.
“ I missed the sound the ball makes off Naomi Osaka’s racquet,” the fan said
Another fan said that he is happy to see Osaka back on the court while stating that she will improve and get better with time.
“She’s only gonna get better sooner than later. Great to have her presence back on the court,” he said
A fan also mentioned that Osaka's comeback would give some competition to the current World No. 1, Iga Swiatek. The Pole finished 2022 and 2023 as the World No. 1 on the WTA rankings.
"Finally someone to give Iga some competition," he said
Here are some more reactions:
"Preferably playing tennis": Naomi Osaka chooses tennis over bedtime duty with daughter Shai
Naomi Osaka recently shared that she prefers playing tennis over putting her 5-month-old daughter Shai to sleep. On Monday, Osaka defeated Tamara Korpatsch in straight sets in her first match since the pregnancy break.
In a post-match interview, she was asked which was easier for her to do between closing out a match and getting a newborn to sleep.
Osaka replied that closing out the match was easier, but was tough for her today (in the game against Tamara Korpatsch). Shai tends to resist sleep, so she would prefer playing tennis over tasks like changing diapers.
“Normally I'll say close out a match but it was kinda tough for me today. Shai likes to fight her sleep so I would say preferably playing tennis over changing diapers and anything like that,” Osaka said
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