Naomi Osaka pinpoints the two reasons why she decided to start her 2026 season at the United Cup

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Naomi Osaka is set to make her United Cup debut in 2026…

The four-time Grand Slam champion was last seen in action at the Japan Women’s Open, where she withdrew before her quarterfinal match.

Making her return to tennis, Osaka will lead Team Japan at the United Cup, as the nation looks to outperform its seeding (13th) and qualify for the last eight.

Osaka last played for Japan at the 2024 Olympics, losing in the first round to Angelique Kerber.

Having decided against competing at the Billie Jean King Cup in recent years for several different reasons, some expected Osaka to skip the United Cup in 2026.

During her pre-tournament press conference, Osaka explained why she wanted to play the premier mixed-gender competition.

Naomi Osaka wanted to play the ‘best players in the world’ to start the season

Osaka is keen to test her game against world-class opposition in Perth.

“Another important part of playing United Cup [is] being able to play the best players in the world straight off the bat, which I think is a privilege,” she said.

“I really enjoy matches like that.”

Japan have been drawn in a group with Great Britain and Greece, giving Osaka two high-profile opponents.

Naomi Osaka’s Group Stage opponents at the 2026 United Cup

• vs Greece – Maria Sakkari (Former world number three)
• vs Great Britain – Emma Raducanu (Former US Open champion)

She may also be required to play mixed doubles alongside Shintaro Mochizuki, and could compete against some big names on the ATP Tour, including Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Osaka would relish the chance to play mixed doubles, as she insists she is a fan of team events.

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“I’ve always kind of watched United Cup on the TV. I’ve wanted to play for a long time,” she said.

“I think for me, just it being such a good team atmosphere…”

Team Japan are far from favorites to win the competition, boasting just one top-50 player, but shouldn’t be underestimated.

Team Japan at the 2026 United Cup

• Go Soeda (Captain)
• Naomi Osaka – WTA #16
• Shintaro Mochizuki – ATP #99
• Nao Hibino – WTA #174
• Yasutaka Uchiyama – ATP #309

Mochizuki, a former Wimbledon junior champion, admitted he was nervous around Osaka at first, but is now excited by the prospect of playing with her.

“Very nervous. It was actually, like, couple days ago, maybe yesterday, the first time I spoke with her. I saw her a couple times in the tournament, but I didn’t get a chance to talk to her. I was very nervous at the beginning,” he said.

“I think it’s getting better. Hopefully, I can get close more and more. If I get to play doubles with her, it would be great. 

“I mean, I don’t know what it’s going to be like, how it’s going to be, but I just want to enjoy the time here in Perth with the team, with the whole team.

“Yeah, I’m very excited.”

Only time will tell how Osaka, Mochizuki, and Japan will perform in Perth, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.

Japan will play Greece on Friday, January 2, before they take on Great Britain on Sunday, January 4.

How high can Naomi Osaka reach in the world rankings this year?

After finishing 2024 as the world number 59, Osaka stormed back into the top 20 in 2025.

Heading into the new year, the 28-year-old is ranked 16th in the world.

WTA Rankings

If Osaka is to make a return to the top 10, she’ll need to find her best tennis more consistently.

She looked back to her best at the Canadian Open (Lost in F) and the US Open (Lost in SF), but failed to impress elsewhere.

Perhaps she will pick up some big points at the Australian Open later this month, an event she’s won twice previously.

Having lost in the third round in 2025, Osaka only has 130 points to defend in Melbourne.

The 2026 Australian Open main draw will begin on Sunday, January 18.