- Naomi Osaka returns to tennis after 15 months.
- She defeated Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 7-6(9).
- Osaka expressed excitement and nervousness.
The four-time Grand Slam champion gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Shai, in July and began getting ready for this month's Australian Open after her previous appearance on the circuit in September 2022 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
In the first game back, the 26-year-old showed no signs of rust, breaking her opponent to love. With a stunning forehand winner, she took 38 minutes to take the first set.
In the second set, Osaka lost twice on the serve, but she prevailed in a tough tiebreaker.
"I was super nervous playing the entire time but I was really excited to be out here. It feels really good to be back," Osaka said after signing autographs and taking pictures with fans courtside.
"I feel like the last couple of years that I played before I had my daughter, I didn't return as much love as I was given. So I really feel like that's what I want to do in this chapter."
Naomi Osaka after winning her 1st match back as a mom:
“I feel like the last couple years I played before I had my daughter I didn’t return as much love as I was given. That’s what I want to do on this chapter. I just really appreciate people coming out & people knowing me and… pic.twitter.com/INIp9lDSlp
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 1, 2024
Following her second Melbourne Park victory, Osaka also withdrew from competition for a lengthy period of time in order to focus on her mental health. She had previously withdrew from the French Open in 2021 and the U.S. Open the same year.
On her most recent reappearance, she was overjoyed to see the adoration from her followers.
"I just really appreciate people coming out and cheering for me, because I feel there was a time that I was just a little kid trying to watch my role models play," Osaka added.
"So it feels really surreal sometimes to be playing on these courts."
Karolina Pliskova, the former world number one, will square off against Osaka after receiving a bye into the second round.
"I've played her a couple of times," Osaka told reporters later. "She's such a tough opponent... very different from the match I played just now. Very interested to see what happens."
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