Osaka took a 15-month break to give birth to her first child in 2023 and returned to the circuit 12 months ago
Japan’s Naomi Osaka during a training session in Melbourne yesterday. Pic/AFP
Naomi Osaka declared Friday that she would “for sure” play her first-round match at the Australian Open after suffering an abdominal injury last week.
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The Japanese star reached her first final since 2022 last week in Auckland, only to retire injured after winning the first set against Denmark’s Clara Tauson. “In that moment it was devastating,” admitted two-time Australian Open champion Osaka, a former World No. 1.
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“It just sucked because I felt like my body wasn’t keeping up with what my mind wanted it to do. Obviously I was very concerned about my chances playing here,” Osaka told reporters at Melbourne Park, where the first Grand Slam of the year begins on Sunday.
Osaka said she had undergone a scan to determine the extent of the injury, with mixed results. “The MRI, it wasn’t fantastic, but it wasn’t bad at the same time. I’m pretty optimistic about playing my match. I mean, for sure I’m going to play my match.
“I’ve been practising pretty well for the two days that I’ve been here, so it seems to be going good.”
Osaka took a 15-month break to give birth to her first child in 2023 and returned to the circuit 12 months ago.
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