Former world No. 1 and new mother Naomi Osaka said on Jan 1 she was proud to have won her first match back after a long break, admitting she had been “super nervous”.
The 26-year-old was on court at the Brisbane International for an hour and 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.
“I think it’s better to have harder matches early because it will train me for what’s to come.
“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.
“Looking back on the match now, honestly, I’m very proud of myself. I feel like I played at a pretty good level.”
After giving birth to a baby girl Shai in July, Osaka rediscovered her love of the game and decided to return for the 2024 season.
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