Naomi Osaka has returned to the WTA Tour after a prolonged stint away from the sport.
Around five years ago, a tennis world without Naomi Osaka completely running it seemed both impossible and sad.
Her relentless power and on-court IQ guided her to four major titles on the hard courts between 2018 and 2021, with two a-piece at the US and Australian Open.
After taking a mental-health break in 2022 and later giving birth to her daughter Shai, the Japanese star returned to the tour in Brisbane at the beginning of 2024.
An amazing match at the French Open between Osaka and eventual champion Iga Swiatek saw the Pole survive a match point in one of the contests of the year.
Osaka booked her ticket to Paris this summer to represent Japan at the Olympics, but with the clay not her natural surface, she was defeated by Angelique Kerber in the opening round.
Naomi Osaka reflects on Paris 2024 and looks ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Games
It is objectively joyous to see Osaka back and seemingly enjoying her tennis, after what was a concerning but clearly necessary time away from the WTA Tour.
Reflecting on her time in Paris in her press conference ahead of her first round match against Ons Jabeur at the National Bank Open in Toronto, Osaka was incredibly positive.
She said: “I would say in Tokyo I was really stressed. In Paris I felt a lot more fun and there were spectators there so it was a lot different.
“I didn’t stay in the village so that is something I regret a bit not to stay in the village but overall it was fun. Hopefully I can play in LA.”
With the former number one still crawling back up the rankings, she is now consistently cropping up as a tremendously difficult first round draw for one of the top seeds.
Can Naomi Osaka return to her best?
Osaka’s return to the WTA tour has been marked by a plan to participate in more tournaments than she typically did earlier in her career, which should help her regain match fitness and competitive sharpness .
Her powerful game that’s already shown glimpses of its former self, along with her previous success indicate she has the potential to compete at the highest levels again.
The return of her former coach Wim Fissette, with whom she achieved significant success, is another positive sign .
However, balancing her new responsibilities as a mother and managing her mental health will be crucial to her sustained success.
With a renewed perspective and determination, Osaka’s comeback is one of the most anticipated in the tennis world, and many believe she can reestablish herself as a top contender in women’s tennis.
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