Former world No. 1 and new mother Naomi Osaka yesterday said she was proud to have won her first match back after a long break, adding she had been “super nervous.”
The 26-year-old was on court at the Brisbane International for 1 hour, 47 minutes before finally seeing off gallant German Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 7-6 (11/9) on Pat Rafter Arena.
“I was super nervous, but I was excited to be out there,” said Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion who stepped away from tennis in September 2022, citing mental health concerns.
Photo: AFP
“I think it’s better to have harder matches early, because it will train me for what’s to come,” she said. “I know all the opponents I play aren’t easy anyway, so it would be very ‘out there’ for me to think my first match would be a 6-1, 6-1 win.”
After giving birth to a baby girl in July last year, Osaka rediscovered her love of the game and decided to return for the 2024 season.
She said courtside that motherhood had changed her outlook on the game, and she had felt too isolated from fans and fellow players previously.
“The last couple of years that I played before I had my daughter I didn’t return as much love as I was given,” she said. “So I really feel like that’s what I want to do in this chapter. I just really appreciate people coming out and cheering for me.”
In the men’s draw, world No. 8 and top seed Holger Rune came from a set down to defeat Australian Max Purcell, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Earlier, Russia’s Roman Safiullin ousted third seeded American Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 in a match lasting more than two-and-a-half hours.
Persistent rain meant matches on outside courts were suspended, confining matches to the covered main stadium.
Among the suspended matches was Taiwanese Wu Fang-hsien’s and Chinese partner Lin Zhu’s women’s doubles round-of-32 opener against Magda Linette of Poland and Bernarda Pera of the US.
On Friday, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei crashed out of the women’s singles qualifying, losing 6-2, 6-2 to Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.
In the United Cup, Iga Swiatek overcame Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-2, 6-1 for a second singles win of the season, and partnered with Hubert Hurkacz to dish out a “double bagel” that put Poland into the quarter-finals of the mixed team tournament in Perth.
Swiatek and Hurkacz eased past Sorribes Tormo and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-0, 6-0 in the mixed doubles decider to ensure the top seeds finished as Group A winners in the 18-nation event that offers US$10 million in prize money.
“I’m happy right now to have another chef in the bakery,” said world No. 1 Swiatek, whose ability to crush singles opponents without conceding games has sparked “Iga’s Bakery” memes on social media.
“No, I’m kidding. On Twitter they said the bakery should be closed on New Year’s Eve, but here we are,” she said. “I’m happy I played so well and Hubi’s a great partner for mixed doubles.”
Casper Ruud also stepped up his preparations for the Jan. 14-28 Australian Open with a pair of wins as he doubled up to guide Norway to a 2-1 victory over Croatia in Sydney.
The former world No. 2 beat Borna Coric 6-4, 6-1 to draw his nation level after Donna Vekic defeated Malene Helgo 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. He then partnered Ulrikke Eikeri to defeat Vekic and Ivan Dodig 6-2, 3-6, 10-7.
On Sunday, Novak Djokovic got the new year’s party started, as he sealed a 2-1 win for Serbia over China near the stroke of midnight in Perth.
The world No. 1 launched the new season by teaming up in mixed doubles with compatriot and longtime friend Olga Danilovic to hold off Zheng Qinwen and ATP No. 58 Zhang Zhizhen for a 6-4, 1-6, 10-6 victory.
Glancing at his watch after his on-court interview, Djokovic implored the house DJ to fill in for five minutes before leading the RAC Arena crowd in a rousing countdown to the midnight hour.
“Thanks to the fans for staying this late,” the winner of 24 Grand Slams said. “We’re glad you decided to spend this special night with us.”
The Serbs were playing their first match at the competition, while China now stand 1-1.
Also on Sunday, Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz had to fight through a deciding doubles match to conclude a 2-1 defeat of Britain for the US to stay in title contention.
The defending champions, who won the trophy in January last year over Italy, earned a 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 10-7 mixed doubles win to claim victory in Perth after the sides split the singles.
Additional reporting by staff writer, with AP and Reuters
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