"That is not peak Naomi Osaka... A little bit more work needs to be done" - Lindsay Davenport on Japanese's Australian Open exit

Lindsay Davenport commented on Naomi Osaka's early exit from the Australian Open on Monday (January 15), stating that there is a need for further improvement.

Osaka was defeated by World No. 19 Caroline Garcia 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) in the first round of the 2024 Australian Open. It was her first Grand Slam match since the 2022 US Open. She returned to the WTA tour in early January 2024 at the Brisbane International after her 15-month hiatus due to the birth of her daughter, Shai.

In a recent episode of Tennis Channel Live, which also featured Martina Navratilova and John Wertheim, Lindsay Davenport stated that the expectations surrounding the Japanese star were high based on Osaka's four Grand Slam victories. According to Davenport, it's either about winning a Grand Slam or at the very least, contending for one.

“When you have won four Majors and you have been at the top, it's about winning Majors, its about at least contending for Majors and she came down to Australia, she was one in two, she got out hit by Plíšková, got out hit by Gracia, that is not a peak Osaka,” Davenport said. (11:38)

While making her comeback, Osaka defeated Germany's Tamara Korpatsch at the Brisbane International before being knocked out by Czech player Karolina Plíšková in the second round of the tournament.

Davenport added that Naomi Osaka's return to the tour was commendable, but emphasized that if the goal is to win a Grand Slam, more work needs to be done. She said it wouldn't surprise her if Osaka focused on further preparation leading up to Indian Wells in March.

“Of course it's amazing and it's a big first step just to get back on tour and to get back out on court but if the goals are to win Majors I think a little bit more work needs to be done. It wouldn't surprise me if maybe she waited till Indian Wells,” Davenport said. (12:02)

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Naomi Osaka was one of the four players who made a comeback to the Australian Open after giving birth

2024 Brisbane International: Day 4

The 2024 Australian Open marked the return of four players who had taken breaks from the sport due to childbirth. Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki were all absent from the 2023 edition of the tournament due to this reason.

Before rejoining the WTA tour at the Brisbane International, Naomi Osaka's last game was at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in September 2022. Her 15-month hiatus was a result of her pregnancy, expecting her first child with boyfriend Cordae. They welcomed their daughter, Shai, in July 2023.

Elina Svitolina took a temporary break from the sport in March 2022 due to health problems and exhaustion from the war in Ukraine. Two months later, she announced that she was expecting her first child with her husband, Gael Monfils. Their daughter, Skai, was born in October 2022.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber also returned to the Australian Open after missing the last edition due to maternity leave. She gave birth to her daughter, Liana, in February 2023.

The longest hiatus among the four was that of Caroline Wozniacki. She took a break from tennis after the 2020 Australian Open. This was due to the birth of her two children, Olivia and James Wozniacki Lee, born in 2021 and 2022, respectively.