Jannik Sinner won his 50th match of the year on Thursday to stay on course for a US Open semi-final duel with Carlos Alcaraz while two-time champion Naomi Osaka's colourful return to New York ended in a dispiriting second round defeat. World number one Sinner beat America's 49th-ranked Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 to make the last 32 for a fourth successive year. The 23-year-old Italian unleashed 28 winners and broke serve eight times.

"He's a very tough opponent. We played each other in Cincinnati. I knew what to expect," said Australian Open champion Sinner. Sinner went on to claim his fifth title of the season in Cincinnati.&nbsp;

A day later it was revealed that he had escaped a ban despite twice testing positive for an anabolic agent in March, authorities accepting his explanation that the result was the result of contamination. Sinner will face Australia's Christopher O'Connell for a place in the last 16.

Alcaraz, the 2022 champion, is seeded to meet Sinner in the semi-finals and is bidding to become just the third man in the modern era to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year.

The charismatic 21-year-old Spaniard took on former quarter-finalist Botic van de Zandschulp in the late match on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

<h2>- 'Cherry on top' -</h2>

The winner of that tie will next face Jack Draper after the 25th-seeded Briton swept past Facundo Díaz Acosta of Argentina in straight sets. Osaka, the 2018 and 2020 champion, went down to defeat to 2023 semi-finalist Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic as her comeback from maternity leave remained stalled.

Four-time major winner Osaka missed last year's tournament after giving birth to daughter Shai but she made up for that absence in the first round. The Japanese star brushed aside former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko with a dazzling display to match her show-stopping outfit.

Osaka appeared on court wearing a giant green bow on the back of her jacket, a tutu and small bows tied to the heels of her shoes. On Thursday night, she switched green for black but the 26-year-old went down to a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) defeat, leaving her without a third round appearance at the majors since the 2022 Australian Open.

Osaka blew three set points in the second set before a wild forehand -- her 21st unforced error of the contest -- sealed her fate. Muchova, a semi-finalist last year, will meet Russia's Anastasia Potapova for a last 16 spot.

"Honestly this year the biggest win for me is that I could play again," said Muchova who picked up a wrist injury at last year's US Open which sidelined her for nine months. "I'm really grateful I'm able to play tennis and that I made it here. This is just the cherry on top to be here in this stadium. It's crazy.”

World number one Iga Swiatek charged into the third round, routing 217th-ranked Ena Shibahara of Japan 6-0, 6-1 to record her 55th match win of the year. Poland's Swiatek, the 2022 US Open winner who is seeking to add a second title in New York to her four French Open triumphs, overwhelmed the 26-year-old qualifier, who was in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time, in just 65 minutes.

She committed only six unforced errors and goes on to face 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who was a quarter-finalist in New York 13 years ago.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-novak-djokovic-tackles-laslo-djere-coco-gauff-shines-under-us-open-lights-754153">Novak Djokovic tackles Laslo Djere, Coco Gauff shines under US Open lights</a>

<h2>- Rybakina withdraws -</h2>

Swiatek then saw likely semi-final opponent Elena Rybakina withdraw from the tournament ahead of her second round clash with 143rd-ranked French qualifier Jessika Ponchet. Rybakina issued a statement saying she was forced to withdraw "because of my injuries".

Karolina Pliskova, the 2016 runner-up, suffered a left ankle injury and was forced to retire from her match with fifth-seed Jasmine Paolini after just three points.

"I hope she recovers soon because it's sad to see her leave the court like this. We didn't really play a match," said French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Paolini.

Polish seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz became the highest ranked man to fall when he lost in straights sets to Australia's Jordan Thompson. US 16th seed Sebastian Korda was also eliminated in straight sets at the hands of Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic.

However, fourth seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev defeated Hungary's Fabian Marozsan in straight sets

Jannik Sinner won his 50th match of the year on Thursday to stay on course for a US Open semi-final duel with Carlos Alcaraz while two-time champion Naomi Osaka's colourful return to New York ended in a dispiriting second round defeat.

Jannik Sinner won his 50th match of the year on Thursday to stay on course for a US Open semi-final duel with Carlos Alcaraz while two-time champion Naomi Osaka's colourful return to New York ended in a dispiriting second round defeat. World number one Sinner beat America's 49th-ranked Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 to make the last 32 for a fourth successive year. The 23-year-old Italian unleashed 28 winners and broke serve eight times. "He's a very tough opponent. We played each other in Cincinnati. I knew what to expect," said Australian Open champion Sinner. Sinner went on to claim his fifth title of the season in Cincinnati. A day later it was revealed that he had escaped a ban despite twice testing positive for an anabolic agent in March, authorities accepting his explanation that the result was the result of contamination. Sinner will face Australia's Christopher O'Connell for a place in the last 16. Alcaraz, the 2022 champion, is seeded to meet Sinner in the semi-finals and is bidding to become just the third man in the modern era to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year. The charismatic 21-year-old Spaniard took on former quarter-finalist Botic van de Zandschulp in the late match on the Arthur Ashe Stadium. - 'Cherry on top' - The winner of that tie will next face Jack Draper after the 25th-seeded Briton swept past Facundo Díaz Acosta of Argentina in straight sets. Osaka, the 2018 and 2020 champion, went down to defeat to 2023 semi-finalist Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic as her comeback from maternity leave remained stalled. Four-time major winner Osaka missed last year's tournament after giving birth to daughter Shai but she made up for that absence in the first round. The Japanese star brushed aside former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko with a dazzling display to match her show-stopping outfit. Osaka appeared on court wearing a giant green bow on the back of her jacket, a tutu and small bows tied to the heels of her shoes. On Thursday night, she switched green for black but the 26-year-old went down to a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) defeat, leaving her without a third round appearance at the majors since the 2022 Australian Open. Osaka blew three set points in the second set before a wild forehand -- her 21st unforced error of the contest -- sealed her fate. Muchova, a semi-finalist last year, will meet Russia's Anastasia Potapova for a last 16 spot. "Honestly this year the biggest win for me is that I could play again," said Muchova who picked up a wrist injury at last year's US Open which sidelined her for nine months. "I'm really grateful I'm able to play tennis and that I made it here. This is just the cherry on top to be here in this stadium. It's crazy.” World number one Iga Swiatek charged into the third round, routing 217th-ranked Ena Shibahara of Japan 6-0, 6-1 to record her 55th match win of the year. Poland's Swiatek, the 2022 US Open winner who is seeking to add a second title in New York to her four French Open triumphs, overwhelmed the 26-year-old qualifier, who was in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time, in just 65 minutes. She committed only six unforced errors and goes on to face 25th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who was a quarter-finalist in New York 13 years ago. Also read: Novak Djokovic tackles Laslo Djere, Coco Gauff shines under US Open lights - Rybakina withdraws - Swiatek then saw likely semi-final opponent Elena Rybakina withdraw from the tournament ahead of her second round clash with 143rd-ranked French qualifier Jessika Ponchet. Rybakina issued a statement saying she was forced to withdraw "because of my injuries". Karolina Pliskova, the 2016 runner-up, suffered a left ankle injury and was forced to retire from her match with fifth-seed Jasmine Paolini after just three points. "I hope she recovers soon because it's sad to see her leave the court like this. We didn't really play a match," said French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Paolini. Polish seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz became the highest ranked man to fall when he lost in straights sets to Australia's Jordan Thompson. US 16th seed Sebastian Korda was also eliminated in straight sets at the hands of Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic. However, fourth seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev defeated Hungary's Fabian Marozsan in straight sets

US Open 2024: Jannik Sinner on course for semifinal duel with Carlos Alcaraz, Naomi Osaka crashes out

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz survived US Open first round wobbles on Tuesday to stay on course for a semi-final showdown as two-time champion Naomi Osaka made a tearful and colourful return to Flushing Meadows.

World number one Sinner fought back from a set and break down to defeat 140th-ranked Mackenzie McDonald in his first match since being embroiled in a doping test controversy.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-us-open-2024-novak-djokovic-begins-quest-for-record-slam-run-with-rusty-first-round-win-753594">Novak Djokovic begins quest for record Slam run with rusty first-round win</a>

Alcaraz, the third seed and 2022 champion in New York, overcame a second set blip to defeat 186th-ranked qualifier Li Tu of Australia 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Italian Sinner battled to a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 win over American opponent McDonald on Arthur Ashe Stadium, racing away with 18 of the last 22 games.

The 23-year-old was returning to action just a week after it was revealed he had failed two drug tests in March.

However, he escaped a lengthy ban when officials decided he wasn't at fault for the presence of banned anabolic agent clostebol in his system.

"The response from fans, I feel it has been great, also throughout when the news came out, in the practice sessions, there was a lot of support," said Sinner.

"It's still a little bit not easy. You have to go through day by day."

Alcaraz, who won the first of his four Grand Slam titles in New York in 2022, opened the night session against Tu who hasn't won a match on the main tour this year.

<h2>'He surprised me'</h2>

However, Tu thrilled the crowd as he went about his task of facing a player who is attempting to become only the third man in the modern era to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year.

After being outplayed in the opening set, Tu levelled the tie on a fifth set point in the second.

But Alcaraz crushed any hint of a shock result by running away with the clash to record his 15th successive Grand Slam match win.

"He surprised me a little bit. In the first set, he was nervous but after that he grew into it and played great tennis," said the Spanish star.

Naomi Osaka, who missed last year's tournament after giving birth to her daughter Shai, stunned 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko.

Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 88, came through 6-3, 6-2 for her first top 10 win in four years.

The Japanese star crunched nine aces in her 19 winners and committed just five unforced errors to her opponent's 21.

Her tennis was as striking as her outfit. Osaka arrived on court with a brightly-coloured, giant bow on the back of her jacket and a frilly skirt over her playing dress.

To complete the ensemble, the 26-year-old attached small bows to the heels of both shoes.

"Last year I was watching Coco (Gauff) play and I so badly wanted to step on these courts again," said a tearful Osaka, a four-time major winner.&nbsp;

<h2>'Means so much'</h2>

"I didn't know if I could ... just to win this match and just to be in this atmosphere means so much to me."

World number one and 2022 champion Iga Swiatek defeated 104th-ranked Kamilla Rakhimova after having to save three set points in the second set.

French Open champion Swiatek, chasing a second New York title to add to her four triumphs in Paris, saw off the Russian lucky loser 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to extend her season-leading record to 54 match wins.

However, it was an unconvincing display by the Pole who committed 41 unforced errors.

Fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev, who shattered Novak Djokovic's dream of a calendar Grand Slam by claiming the 2021 US Open, went through with a four-set victory over Dujan Lajovic.

Greek 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has never made the second week at the tournament, was stunned 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 by Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 champion, failed in his bid to become only the third man in last 50 years to win a main draw match at the tournament at the age of 39 or over.

Wawrinka slipped to a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 loss at the hands of Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci.

Two former women's champions were knocked out.

Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 winner, lost in three sets to sixth-seeded Jasmine Paolini while 2021 champion Emma Raducanu fell to 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin.

Britain's Dan Evans defeated 23rd seed Karen Khachanov 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-4&nbsp;in the longest match in US Open history, a five-hour, 35-minute epic.

(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz survived US Open first round wobbles on Tuesday to stay on course for a semi-final showdown as two-time champion Naomi Osaka made a tearful and colourful return to Flushing Meadows.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz survived US Open first round wobbles on Tuesday to stay on course for a semi-final showdown as two-time champion Naomi Osaka made a tearful and colourful return to Flushing Meadows. World number one Sinner fought back from a set and break down to defeat 140th-ranked Mackenzie McDonald in his first match since being embroiled in a doping test controversy. Also Read: Novak Djokovic begins quest for record Slam run with rusty first-round win Alcaraz, the third seed and 2022 champion in New York, overcame a second set blip to defeat 186th-ranked qualifier Li Tu of Australia 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Italian Sinner battled to a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 win over American opponent McDonald on Arthur Ashe Stadium, racing away with 18 of the last 22 games. The 23-year-old was returning to action just a week after it was revealed he had failed two drug tests in March. However, he escaped a lengthy ban when officials decided he wasn't at fault for the presence of banned anabolic agent clostebol in his system. "The response from fans, I feel it has been great, also throughout when the news came out, in the practice sessions, there was a lot of support," said Sinner. "It's still a little bit not easy. You have to go through day by day." Alcaraz, who won the first of his four Grand Slam titles in New York in 2022, opened the night session against Tu who hasn't won a match on the main tour this year. 'He surprised me' However, Tu thrilled the crowd as he went about his task of facing a player who is attempting to become only the third man in the modern era to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year. After being outplayed in the opening set, Tu levelled the tie on a fifth set point in the second. But Alcaraz crushed any hint of a shock result by running away with the clash to record his 15th successive Grand Slam match win. "He surprised me a little bit. In the first set, he was nervous but after that he grew into it and played great tennis," said the Spanish star. Naomi Osaka, who missed last year's tournament after giving birth to her daughter Shai, stunned 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko. Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 88, came through 6-3, 6-2 for her first top 10 win in four years. The Japanese star crunched nine aces in her 19 winners and committed just five unforced errors to her opponent's 21. Her tennis was as striking as her outfit. Osaka arrived on court with a brightly-coloured, giant bow on the back of her jacket and a frilly skirt over her playing dress. To complete the ensemble, the 26-year-old attached small bows to the heels of both shoes. "Last year I was watching Coco (Gauff) play and I so badly wanted to step on these courts again," said a tearful Osaka, a four-time major winner. 'Means so much' "I didn't know if I could ... just to win this match and just to be in this atmosphere means so much to me." World number one and 2022 champion Iga Swiatek defeated 104th-ranked Kamilla Rakhimova after having to save three set points in the second set. French Open champion Swiatek, chasing a second New York title to add to her four triumphs in Paris, saw off the Russian lucky loser 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) to extend her season-leading record to 54 match wins. However, it was an unconvincing display by the Pole who committed 41 unforced errors. Fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev, who shattered Novak Djokovic's dream of a calendar Grand Slam by claiming the 2021 US Open, went through with a four-set victory over Dujan Lajovic. Greek 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has never made the second week at the tournament, was stunned 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 by Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis. Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 champion, failed in his bid to become only the third man in last 50 years to win a main draw match at the tournament at the age of 39 or over. Wawrinka slipped to a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 loss at the hands of Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci. Two former women's champions were knocked out. Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 winner, lost in three sets to sixth-seeded Jasmine Paolini while 2021 champion Emma Raducanu fell to 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin. Britain's Dan Evans defeated 23rd seed Karen Khachanov 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-4 in the longest match in US Open history, a five-hour, 35-minute epic. (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

US Open: Naomi Osaka makes tearful return as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz survive first round scare

Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka is hoping a return to the hard courts of Flushing Meadows will mark a turning point in what has been an erratic tennis comeback.

"I was watching in the stands last year, and I promised myself this was going to be the tournament where I do the best," said Osaka, who returned to tennis late last year after taking 15 months out for the birth of her daughter Shai.

"Hopefully here or Japan or during the Asian swing -- that's kind of where I put all my energy. I guess we'll see what happens," added Osaka as she spoke to reporters on Saturday, two days before the start of the year's final Grand Slam.

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After a first-round exit at the Australian Open Osaka held a match point against Iga Swiatek in the second round at the French Open, eventually falling in three sets to the world number one.

A quick second-round exit at Wimbledon was followed by a first-round defeat at the Paris Olympics.

After a defeat in qualifying for the WTA hardcourt tournament in Cincinnati Osaka wrote on social media that "I don't feel like I'm in my body".

"I just felt like I wasn't able to hit the shots that I know I can hit," Osaka explained. "That was the most frustrating thing because I felt like I couldn't control the balls the way I wanted to."

Nevertheless, Osaka said Saturday that flashes of her old form throughout her 2024 campaign have left her "a little shocked sometimes at how well the play is.

"Obviously I want to be in the top 10, and I want to do all these things, but I still in the back of my mind remember not being able to run ... or not being able to do a sit-up."

After some extended practice on hard courts -- after the unusual switching from clay to grass and back to clay for the Olympics -- Osaka said she was feeling more confident.

"I feel way better now," said the Japanese star, who received a wild card into the main draw. "I'm able to practice at a really high level. I hope that I'm able to play matches at a really high level, too."

Flushing Meadows is a perfect place to try to translate that form to matches, not only because of her past success but because the US Open is a tournament she's attended and loved since childhood.

"I do think coming to this specific tournament helps me out," she said. "Whenever I step foot here, I don't really think about the two tournaments I won. I just think about how I felt when I was a kid, because I did grow up coming here, and I have such vivid memories of watching my favorite players. It's more of a childhood nostalgia that I really enjoy."

(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka is hoping a return to the hard courts of Flushing Meadows will mark a turning point in what has been an erratic tennis comeback.

Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka is hoping a return to the hard courts of Flushing Meadows will mark a turning point in what has been an erratic tennis comeback. "I was watching in the stands last year, and I promised myself this was going to be the tournament where I do the best," said Osaka, who returned to tennis late last year after taking 15 months out for the birth of her daughter Shai. "Hopefully here or Japan or during the Asian swing -- that's kind of where I put all my energy. I guess we'll see what happens," added Osaka as she spoke to reporters on Saturday, two days before the start of the year's final Grand Slam. Also Read: Formula 1: McLaren driver Lando Norris grabs pole position for Dutch Grand Prix After a first-round exit at the Australian Open Osaka held a match point against Iga Swiatek in the second round at the French Open, eventually falling in three sets to the world number one. A quick second-round exit at Wimbledon was followed by a first-round defeat at the Paris Olympics. After a defeat in qualifying for the WTA hardcourt tournament in Cincinnati Osaka wrote on social media that "I don't feel like I'm in my body". "I just felt like I wasn't able to hit the shots that I know I can hit," Osaka explained. "That was the most frustrating thing because I felt like I couldn't control the balls the way I wanted to." Nevertheless, Osaka said Saturday that flashes of her old form throughout her 2024 campaign have left her "a little shocked sometimes at how well the play is. "Obviously I want to be in the top 10, and I want to do all these things, but I still in the back of my mind remember not being able to run ... or not being able to do a sit-up." After some extended practice on hard courts -- after the unusual switching from clay to grass and back to clay for the Olympics -- Osaka said she was feeling more confident. "I feel way better now," said the Japanese star, who received a wild card into the main draw. "I'm able to practice at a really high level. I hope that I'm able to play matches at a really high level, too." Flushing Meadows is a perfect place to try to translate that form to matches, not only because of her past success but because the US Open is a tournament she's attended and loved since childhood. "I do think coming to this specific tournament helps me out," she said. "Whenever I step foot here, I don't really think about the two tournaments I won. I just think about how I felt when I was a kid, because I did grow up coming here, and I have such vivid memories of watching my favorite players. It's more of a childhood nostalgia that I really enjoy." (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Two-time champion Naomi Osaka hopes for US Open to change comeback fortune

Naomi Osaka said she still does not feel like herself on court eight months into her comeback season following a maternity break, with the four-times Grand Slam champion puzzled at her lack of power and accuracy. The Japanese 26-year-old was beaten by Ashlyn Krueger in the second round of qualifying for the Cincinnati Open, the latest setback in a patchy run of form heading into the final Grand Slam of the year at the U.S. Open from Aug&nbsp;26-Sep&nbsp;8.

"My biggest issue currently isn't losses though, my biggest issue is that I don't feel like I'm in my body," Osaka wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. "It's a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn't miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to. I try to tell myself, 'It's fine you're doing great. Just get through this one and keep pushing', mentally it's really draining through. "Internally, I hear myself screaming, 'What the hell is happening?!?!'"

Osaka returned to action in January after a 15-month break during which she gave birth to her daughter. Now ranked 90th in the world, her best results have been runs to the quarter-finals at Doha and 's-Hertogenbosch. "I've played a handful of matches this year that I felt like I was myself and I know this moment is probably just a small phase from all the new transitions (clay, grass, clay, hard), however the only feeling I could liken how I feel right now to is being post-partum," Osaka said. "That scares me because I've been playing tennis since I was three, the racket should feel like an extension of my hand."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-world-number-1-jannik-sinner-plays-down-hip-issue-ahead-of-cincinnati-open-749668">World number 1 Jannik Sinner plays down hip issue ahead of Cincinnati Open</a>

Osaka's next event will be at Flushing Meadows, where she triumphed in 2018 and 2020, but she said she did not understand why everything about her game felt "almost brand new" again. "This should be as simple as breathing to me, but it's not," she added. "I genuinely did not give myself grace for that fact until just now." Despite her struggles, Osaka said she loved putting in the work each day and "eventually having the opportunity to get to where you want to be".

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Naomi Osaka said she still does not feel like herself on court eight months into her comeback season following a maternity break, with the four-times Grand Slam champion puzzled at her lack of power and accuracy.

Naomi Osaka said she still does not feel like herself on court eight months into her comeback season following a maternity break, with the four-times Grand Slam champion puzzled at her lack of power and accuracy. The Japanese 26-year-old was beaten by Ashlyn Krueger in the second round of qualifying for the Cincinnati Open, the latest setback in a patchy run of form heading into the final Grand Slam of the year at the U.S. Open from Aug 26-Sep 8. "My biggest issue currently isn't losses though, my biggest issue is that I don't feel like I'm in my body," Osaka wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. "It's a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn't miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to. I try to tell myself, 'It's fine you're doing great. Just get through this one and keep pushing', mentally it's really draining through. "Internally, I hear myself screaming, 'What the hell is happening?!?!'" Osaka returned to action in January after a 15-month break during which she gave birth to her daughter. Now ranked 90th in the world, her best results have been runs to the quarter-finals at Doha and 's-Hertogenbosch. "I've played a handful of matches this year that I felt like I was myself and I know this moment is probably just a small phase from all the new transitions (clay, grass, clay, hard), however the only feeling I could liken how I feel right now to is being post-partum," Osaka said. "That scares me because I've been playing tennis since I was three, the racket should feel like an extension of my hand." Also read: World number 1 Jannik Sinner plays down hip issue ahead of Cincinnati Open Osaka's next event will be at Flushing Meadows, where she triumphed in 2018 and 2020, but she said she did not understand why everything about her game felt "almost brand new" again. "This should be as simple as breathing to me, but it's not," she added. "I genuinely did not give myself grace for that fact until just now." Despite her struggles, Osaka said she loved putting in the work each day and "eventually having the opportunity to get to where you want to be". Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Japan's Naomi Osaka perplexed by power struggles following maternity break after Cincinnati setback

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from an early stumble to sweep into the third round of Wimbledon on Wednesday, dispatching Australia's Aleksandar Vukic in straight sets.

The third seed dug deep to take the opening set against his 69th-ranked opponent before shifting impressively through the gears to win 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-2.

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From 5-2 up in the first set, the Spaniard briefly lost his way to trail 5-6.&nbsp;

However, with the pressure on, Alcaraz broke back to force a tie-break and from then on it was one-way traffic.

The 21-year-old broke twice in the second set and repeated the feat in set three, pounding a total of 42 winners.

Alcaraz, who beat Novak Djokovic in last year's Wimbledon final, wrapped up victory in one hour, 48 minutes.

Vukic defeated then 17-year-old Alcaraz in qualifying at Roland Garros in 2020 but could not repeat the feat on the grass at the All England Club.

"I'm really happy about my performance today," said Alcaraz. "The first set was the key for me. He served for the set, then I played a really good tie-break.&nbsp;

"In the second set and third set, I played a really high level so I'm really happy about it."

The three-time Grand Slam champion is bidding to become just the sixth man&nbsp;after Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to win the French Open and Wimbledon titles back to back.

He next faces Frances Tiafoe, the American player he defeated in five sets in the semi-finals of the 2022 US Open on his way to his first Grand Slam triumph.

The Spaniard said he would "put on a show" against Tiafoe, ranked 29th.

"I'm going for him," he said. "We played a really good match in the US Open.&nbsp;

"I know he is a really talented player, a tough one, even tougher on grass with his style. Good volley, good slices. It is going to be a very difficult match for me.&nbsp;

"I'm ready to take that challenge."

<h2>Osaka out in second round</h2>

Naomi Osaka was sent crashing out of Wimbledon in the second round on Wednesday by America's Emma Navarro, who allowed the Japanese superstar just five games in a one-sided contest.

Osaka, playing her first Wimbledon since 2019, went down 6-4, 6-1 on Centre Court in less than an hour.

The two players were level-pegging at 3-3 in the first set before 17th-ranked Navarro broke to love and went on to take the first set.

Navarro pounced at the start of the second set, breaking twice to race into a 4-0 lead and broke again to seal the match.

Osaka's win over Diane Parry in the first round was her first at Wimbledon since 2018.

Five years on, the four-time Grand Slam champion, 26, is ranked at 113 having only returned to the tour in January after giving birth to daughter Shai last year.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from an early stumble to sweep into the third round of Wimbledon on Wednesday, dispatching Australia's Aleksandar Vukic in straight sets.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from an early stumble to sweep into the third round of Wimbledon on Wednesday, dispatching Australia's Aleksandar Vukic in straight sets. The third seed dug deep to take the opening set against his 69th-ranked opponent before shifting impressively through the gears to win 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-2. Also Read: LeBron James to stay with Lakers in two-year, $104 million deal: Report From 5-2 up in the first set, the Spaniard briefly lost his way to trail 5-6. However, with the pressure on, Alcaraz broke back to force a tie-break and from then on it was one-way traffic. The 21-year-old broke twice in the second set and repeated the feat in set three, pounding a total of 42 winners. Alcaraz, who beat Novak Djokovic in last year's Wimbledon final, wrapped up victory in one hour, 48 minutes. Vukic defeated then 17-year-old Alcaraz in qualifying at Roland Garros in 2020 but could not repeat the feat on the grass at the All England Club. "I'm really happy about my performance today," said Alcaraz. "The first set was the key for me. He served for the set, then I played a really good tie-break. "In the second set and third set, I played a really high level so I'm really happy about it." The three-time Grand Slam champion is bidding to become just the sixth man after Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to win the French Open and Wimbledon titles back to back. He next faces Frances Tiafoe, the American player he defeated in five sets in the semi-finals of the 2022 US Open on his way to his first Grand Slam triumph. The Spaniard said he would "put on a show" against Tiafoe, ranked 29th. "I'm going for him," he said. "We played a really good match in the US Open. "I know he is a really talented player, a tough one, even tougher on grass with his style. Good volley, good slices. It is going to be a very difficult match for me. "I'm ready to take that challenge." Osaka out in second round Naomi Osaka was sent crashing out of Wimbledon in the second round on Wednesday by America's Emma Navarro, who allowed the Japanese superstar just five games in a one-sided contest. Osaka, playing her first Wimbledon since 2019, went down 6-4, 6-1 on Centre Court in less than an hour. The two players were level-pegging at 3-3 in the first set before 17th-ranked Navarro broke to love and went on to take the first set. Navarro pounced at the start of the second set, breaking twice to race into a 4-0 lead and broke again to seal the match. Osaka's win over Diane Parry in the first round was her first at Wimbledon since 2018. Five years on, the four-time Grand Slam champion, 26, is ranked at 113 having only returned to the tour in January after giving birth to daughter Shai last year.

Wimbledon 2024: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz enters third round; Naomi Osaka crashes out

Japan's Naomi Osaka was one of four Grand Slam champions granted a wildcard on Wednesday into the main draw for next month's women's singles at Wimbledon.

The 26-year-old, a former world number one and twice winner of both the Australian and US Opens, will be playing in the main draw of Wimbledon for the first time in five years after becoming a mother.

So too will former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, who also once topped the world rankings, with the 33-year-old Dane another recipient of a wildcard.

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Wildcards are given by the All England Club to players who are not ranked high enough to qualify directly into the main draw.

Wozniacki, disappointed to miss out on a wildcard at the French Open, told Britain's PA news agency: "I have so many special memories.

"I won junior Wimbledon back in 2005, so it's a long time ago. There's something so special about playing on Wimbledon's Centre Court that you can't replicate anywhere else."

Germany's Angelique Kerber, the 2018 Wimbledon champion and another former world number one who took time out from tennis to start a family, has also received a wildcard entry into the tournament, which starts on July 1.

Another wildcard announced Wednesday went to home favourite Emma Raducanu, who made her breakthrough run to the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2021 -- shortly before her stunning triumph in winning that year's US Open as a qualifier.

It will be the first time in two years that Raducanu, 21, has been on the grass courts of Wimbledon following wrist and ankle surgery in 2023.

Last week, Raducanu lost an all-British semi-final at the Nottingham Open to eventual champion Katie Boulter in what was still an encouraging start to her grass-court campaign.

Japan's Naomi Osaka was one of four Grand Slam champions granted a wildcard on Wednesday into the main draw for next month's women's singles at Wimbledon. The 26-year-old, a former world number one and twice winner of both the Australian and US Opens, will be playing in the main draw of Wimbledon for the first time in five years after becoming a mother.

Japan's Naomi Osaka was one of four Grand Slam champions granted a wildcard on Wednesday into the main draw for next month's women's singles at Wimbledon. The 26-year-old, a former world number one and twice winner of both the Australian and US Opens, will be playing in the main draw of Wimbledon for the first time in five years after becoming a mother. So too will former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, who also once topped the world rankings, with the 33-year-old Dane another recipient of a wildcard. Also Read: Euro 2024: Albania come from behind to secure 2-2 draw against Croatia Wildcards are given by the All England Club to players who are not ranked high enough to qualify directly into the main draw. Wozniacki, disappointed to miss out on a wildcard at the French Open, told Britain's PA news agency: "I have so many special memories. "I won junior Wimbledon back in 2005, so it's a long time ago. There's something so special about playing on Wimbledon's Centre Court that you can't replicate anywhere else." Germany's Angelique Kerber, the 2018 Wimbledon champion and another former world number one who took time out from tennis to start a family, has also received a wildcard entry into the tournament, which starts on July 1. Another wildcard announced Wednesday went to home favourite Emma Raducanu, who made her breakthrough run to the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2021 -- shortly before her stunning triumph in winning that year's US Open as a qualifier. It will be the first time in two years that Raducanu, 21, has been on the grass courts of Wimbledon following wrist and ankle surgery in 2023. Last week, Raducanu lost an all-British semi-final at the Nottingham Open to eventual champion Katie Boulter in what was still an encouraging start to her grass-court campaign.

Wimbledon 2024: Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu among for former winners to get wildcard

Defending champion Iga Swiatek was pushed to the brink by fellow four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka but secured a 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 victory after saving a match point in a high-voltage second-round match at Roland Garros on Wednesday. In a clash worthy of a final between the current and former world number one, Swiatek showed the steely grit she possesses in abundance but has rarely needed at her favourite major, to extend her streak to 16 wins after triumphs in 2022 and 2023.

"It's hard to have any logical thoughts... it was really intense and on a really high level. I was in huge trouble in the third set but I managed somehow to win this match. I'm glad that I didn't give up," Swiatek told reporters.

"I honestly didn't believe I could win, because I would be pretty naive. But it didn't change the fact that I just tried to do work to play better. I actually managed to be more focused at the end of the match, which went pretty badly. "In first and second set I felt like I wasn't completely in the zone. When I was under the biggest pressure I was able to switch that and maybe that made the difference."

Swiatek's clay prowess makes her a firm favourite against anyone but the 22-year-old top seed, who entered the contest on the back of 13 wins and titles in Madrid and Rome, faced huge pressure and was a point away from dropping the first set.

In testing conditions under the roof on Philippe Chatrier, the powerful Osaka posed a litany of problems in one of her best matches since coming back this year from a maternity break but did not capitalise while up 40-30 at 5-4, hitting a shot long.

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Three-times champion Swiatek raised her level and ran away with the opening set in the tiebreak but the Pole found herself trailing 4-0 in the next set as the 26-year-old Osaka shrugged off any disappointment to comfortably level the contest.

Osaka saved two break points to hold at the start of the decider and fired a sublime backhand crosscourt winner in the next game to pounce for a 2-0 lead, which the Japanese player extended on serve after another almighty battle.

A rattled Swiatek clawed her way back from 5-2 down and saved a match point before taking full advantage of late errors from a nervy Osaka's racket to complete a famous victory and avoid her earliest exit from the Grand Slam.

Defeat was a bitter blow for Osaka, who produced one of her most memorable performances on her least favourite surface after fully dedicating herself to it in the build-up to the major and left the main showcourt to a standing ovation from the crowd.

"The journey that she had. I'm happy she's back, because her tennis deserves to be on the biggest stages. She deserves to be there," Swiatek added. "It wasn't easy on her, but if she's going to play better and better, it means that she did some work to improve... She played amazing today. I have big respect for her coming back."

Defending champion Iga Swiatek was pushed to the brink by fellow four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka but secured a 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 victory after saving a match point in a high-voltage second-round match at Roland Garros on Wednesday.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek was pushed to the brink by fellow four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka but secured a 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5 victory after saving a match point in a high-voltage second-round match at Roland Garros on Wednesday. In a clash worthy of a final between the current and former world number one, Swiatek showed the steely grit she possesses in abundance but has rarely needed at her favourite major, to extend her streak to 16 wins after triumphs in 2022 and 2023. "It's hard to have any logical thoughts... it was really intense and on a really high level. I was in huge trouble in the third set but I managed somehow to win this match. I'm glad that I didn't give up," Swiatek told reporters. "I honestly didn't believe I could win, because I would be pretty naive. But it didn't change the fact that I just tried to do work to play better. I actually managed to be more focused at the end of the match, which went pretty badly. "In first and second set I felt like I wasn't completely in the zone. When I was under the biggest pressure I was able to switch that and maybe that made the difference." Swiatek's clay prowess makes her a firm favourite against anyone but the 22-year-old top seed, who entered the contest on the back of 13 wins and titles in Madrid and Rome, faced huge pressure and was a point away from dropping the first set. In testing conditions under the roof on Philippe Chatrier, the powerful Osaka posed a litany of problems in one of her best matches since coming back this year from a maternity break but did not capitalise while up 40-30 at 5-4, hitting a shot long. Also read: French Open: Carlos Alcaraz overcomes De Jong scare, advances to third round Three-times champion Swiatek raised her level and ran away with the opening set in the tiebreak but the Pole found herself trailing 4-0 in the next set as the 26-year-old Osaka shrugged off any disappointment to comfortably level the contest. Osaka saved two break points to hold at the start of the decider and fired a sublime backhand crosscourt winner in the next game to pounce for a 2-0 lead, which the Japanese player extended on serve after another almighty battle. A rattled Swiatek clawed her way back from 5-2 down and saved a match point before taking full advantage of late errors from a nervy Osaka's racket to complete a famous victory and avoid her earliest exit from the Grand Slam. Defeat was a bitter blow for Osaka, who produced one of her most memorable performances on her least favourite surface after fully dedicating herself to it in the build-up to the major and left the main showcourt to a standing ovation from the crowd. "The journey that she had. I'm happy she's back, because her tennis deserves to be on the biggest stages. She deserves to be there," Swiatek added. "It wasn't easy on her, but if she's going to play better and better, it means that she did some work to improve... She played amazing today. I have big respect for her coming back."

Defending champion Iga Swiatek survives almighty scare to pip Naomi Osaka in French Open thriller

Naomi Osaka lost to world number one Iga Swiatek in a thrilling third-round match at the 2024 French Open on Wednesday (May 29). Osaka was up against the Polish player and had a huge task to stop the defending champion Swiatek's run and lost the match 6-7 (1-7), 6-1, 5-7. The match lasted for nearly three hours as the winner was decided in the last set. Despite her loss, Osaka stated that she is 'proud' of herself for the fight she gave to Swiatek.

During the contest, Osaka put Swiatek under pressure on several occasions but still couldn't have the last laugh. Notably, she broke her opposition's serve five out of nine times. The Japanese player lost the opening set in a tiebreaker but came back strongly to win the second before leading in the final set. At 5-4, 40-30, Osaka was on the cusp of pulling off a huge win when Swiatek earned back-to-back service breaks to get the better of Osaka. Despite the loss, Osaka is proud of her performance&nbsp;and said that she has got better after returning to court post motherhood.

“You know I have my little book, right? In it today I just wrote: ‘I'm proud of you’,” Osaka said after the contest.

She further mentioned, "I think for me, like, saying that to myself, it gives me a lot of power, because ... sometimes I curse myself out in my head, and it's quite a negative feeling. I would just say I'm proud of the journey. Hopefully it will get more and more positive."

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The 26-year-old admitted that the face-off versus Swiatek would be memorable due to the quality of the match and crowd support.

“(It was) probably the most fun match that I have played so far. It just felt really incredible, the atmosphere, and how fun I guess everyone in the crowd was having too. It was definitely very memorable for me,” Osaka added.

Swiatek will now face the winner of the match between Croatia’s Jana Fett and Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova in the fourth round at the Roland Garros.

Naomi Osaka lost to world number one Iga Swiatek in a thrilling third-round match at the 2024 French Open on Wednesday (May 29). Osaka was up against the Polish player and had a huge task to stop the defending champion Swiatek's run and lost the match 6-7 (1-7), 6-1, 5-7.

Naomi Osaka lost to world number one Iga Swiatek in a thrilling third-round match at the 2024 French Open on Wednesday (May 29). Osaka was up against the Polish player and had a huge task to stop the defending champion Swiatek's run and lost the match 6-7 (1-7), 6-1, 5-7. The match lasted for nearly three hours as the winner was decided in the last set. Despite her loss, Osaka stated that she is 'proud' of herself for the fight she gave to Swiatek. During the contest, Osaka put Swiatek under pressure on several occasions but still couldn't have the last laugh. Notably, she broke her opposition's serve five out of nine times. The Japanese player lost the opening set in a tiebreaker but came back strongly to win the second before leading in the final set. At 5-4, 40-30, Osaka was on the cusp of pulling off a huge win when Swiatek earned back-to-back service breaks to get the better of Osaka. Despite the loss, Osaka is proud of her performance and said that she has got better after returning to court post motherhood. “You know I have my little book, right? In it today I just wrote: ‘I'm proud of you’,” Osaka said after the contest. She further mentioned, "I think for me, like, saying that to myself, it gives me a lot of power, because ... sometimes I curse myself out in my head, and it's quite a negative feeling. I would just say I'm proud of the journey. Hopefully it will get more and more positive." Also read: French Open: Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff enter third round with straight sets wins The 26-year-old admitted that the face-off versus Swiatek would be memorable due to the quality of the match and crowd support. “(It was) probably the most fun match that I have played so far. It just felt really incredible, the atmosphere, and how fun I guess everyone in the crowd was having too. It was definitely very memorable for me,” Osaka added. Swiatek will now face the winner of the match between Croatia’s Jana Fett and Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova in the fourth round at the Roland Garros.

French Open 2024: Naomi Osaka 'proud' of herself despite narrow defeat vs Iga Swiatek

Naomi Osaka swept to her first victory at the French Open in three years on Monday, setting up a potential showdown with world number one Iga Swiatek, as Roland Garros prepared to possibly bid farewell to Rafael Nadal.

Osaka, a four-time major winner who has yet to get past the third round in Paris, needed three sets to defeat Italy's 48th-ranked Lucia Bronzetti on the showpiece Court Philippe Chatrier, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.

The 26-year-old fired 31 winners, including six aces, and 45 unforced errors in a match where she gave up a 4-0 lead in the decider before finding herself 5-4 down.

However, she rallied strongly to register her first win at a Grand Slam since the 2022 Australian Open.

"It feels really nice to be back and I'm just really grateful to be here in front of everybody," said Osaka.

"I think there were moments when I played really well."

The Japanese star, a former world number one now at 134 in the rankings, has endured a bittersweet relationship with the French capital.

In 2021, she was fined for opting out of mandatory media commitments before withdrawing from the tournament in order to protect her mental health.

A year later, she fell in the first round before leaving the sport in September 2022 for 16 months to start a family.

Top seed Swiatek, chasing a fourth French Open, will face Osaka if the Pole gets past qualifier Leolia Jeanjean on Monday.

Later Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, begins his campaign against J.J. Wolf of the United States, a lucky loser from qualifying.

Andy Murray and his fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka will close proceedings in the night session.

World number three Alcaraz made the semi-finals last year where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic, revealing later that the prospect of facing the world number one had caused so much tension that his body cramped up during the match.

Wolf, ranked at 107, has won just one match on the tour in 2024. His only other main draw appearance at the French Open ended in a first-round exit last year.

Wawrinka, the 39-year-old 2015 champion, and 2016 runner-up Murray meet for the 23rd time, a rivalry which has included two semi-final clashes in Paris.

Murray is playing his final season on tour but whether or not 14-time champion Nadal joins him in retirement later this year remains to be seen.

<h2>Uncomfortable position</h2>

Meanwhile, Nadal, who will be 38 on June 3, revealed Saturday that he hasn't committed himself to retiring and wanted to "100% keep the door open".

He missed the tournament in 2023 with injury.

His 2024 appearance may be brief after he was drawn to face fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev on Monday.

"It's a big, big chance that this is going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it's 100% my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not. I cannot predict what's going on," Nadal said.

The Spanish legend has racked up 112 wins in 115 matches at the tournament since his title-winning 2005 debut when he was just 19.

He has 22 Grand Slam titles -- second only to Djokovic's 24 on the all-time men's list -- but his career has been plagued by injuries.

Nadal has played just four tournaments since January last year after suffering a hip injury and then a muscle tear.

As a result, his ranking has slumped to 275 in the world and he comes into the French Open unseeded.

"I have been going through a long process of recovery with a very difficult injury, almost two years of suffering, but I feel better now," he added.

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"I have fewer limitations than three, four weeks ago, without a doubt."

French Open organisers were ready to stage a tribute ceremony for Nadal before he revealed that he could play on.

"We were ready to press the button on it," said tournament director Amelie Mauresmo.

"But it's Rafa who manages his timing, we follow what he wants. We wouldn't want to put him in an uncomfortable position."

In early action on Monday, two-time quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev, the sixth seed, defeated Japan's Taro Daniel in four sets.

French number one Ugo Humbert, the 17th seed, crashed out 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 7-5 to Italy's Lorenzo Sonego.

Naomi Osaka swept to her first victory at the French Open in three years on Monday, setting up a potential showdown with world number one Iga Swiatek, as Roland Garros prepared to possibly bid farewell to Rafael Nadal.

Naomi Osaka swept to her first victory at the French Open in three years on Monday, setting up a potential showdown with world number one Iga Swiatek, as Roland Garros prepared to possibly bid farewell to Rafael Nadal. Osaka, a four-time major winner who has yet to get past the third round in Paris, needed three sets to defeat Italy's 48th-ranked Lucia Bronzetti on the showpiece Court Philippe Chatrier, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. The 26-year-old fired 31 winners, including six aces, and 45 unforced errors in a match where she gave up a 4-0 lead in the decider before finding herself 5-4 down. However, she rallied strongly to register her first win at a Grand Slam since the 2022 Australian Open. "It feels really nice to be back and I'm just really grateful to be here in front of everybody," said Osaka. "I think there were moments when I played really well." The Japanese star, a former world number one now at 134 in the rankings, has endured a bittersweet relationship with the French capital. In 2021, she was fined for opting out of mandatory media commitments before withdrawing from the tournament in order to protect her mental health. A year later, she fell in the first round before leaving the sport in September 2022 for 16 months to start a family. Top seed Swiatek, chasing a fourth French Open, will face Osaka if the Pole gets past qualifier Leolia Jeanjean on Monday. Later Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, begins his campaign against J.J. Wolf of the United States, a lucky loser from qualifying. Andy Murray and his fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka will close proceedings in the night session. World number three Alcaraz made the semi-finals last year where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic, revealing later that the prospect of facing the world number one had caused so much tension that his body cramped up during the match. Wolf, ranked at 107, has won just one match on the tour in 2024. His only other main draw appearance at the French Open ended in a first-round exit last year. Wawrinka, the 39-year-old 2015 champion, and 2016 runner-up Murray meet for the 23rd time, a rivalry which has included two semi-final clashes in Paris. Murray is playing his final season on tour but whether or not 14-time champion Nadal joins him in retirement later this year remains to be seen. Uncomfortable position Meanwhile, Nadal, who will be 38 on June 3, revealed Saturday that he hasn't committed himself to retiring and wanted to "100% keep the door open". He missed the tournament in 2023 with injury. His 2024 appearance may be brief after he was drawn to face fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev on Monday. "It's a big, big chance that this is going to be my last Roland Garros, but if I have to tell you it's 100% my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not. I cannot predict what's going on," Nadal said. The Spanish legend has racked up 112 wins in 115 matches at the tournament since his title-winning 2005 debut when he was just 19. He has 22 Grand Slam titles -- second only to Djokovic's 24 on the all-time men's list -- but his career has been plagued by injuries. Nadal has played just four tournaments since January last year after suffering a hip injury and then a muscle tear. As a result, his ranking has slumped to 275 in the world and he comes into the French Open unseeded. "I have been going through a long process of recovery with a very difficult injury, almost two years of suffering, but I feel better now," he added. ALSO READ | IPL 2024 BIG FINAL, Kolkata Knight Riders vs SunRisers Hyderabad – Match preview and result prediction "I have fewer limitations than three, four weeks ago, without a doubt." French Open organisers were ready to stage a tribute ceremony for Nadal before he revealed that he could play on. "We were ready to press the button on it," said tournament director Amelie Mauresmo. "But it's Rafa who manages his timing, we follow what he wants. We wouldn't want to put him in an uncomfortable position." In early action on Monday, two-time quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev, the sixth seed, defeated Japan's Taro Daniel in four sets. French number one Ugo Humbert, the 17th seed, crashed out 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 7-5 to Italy's Lorenzo Sonego.

French Open: Naomi Osaka off to winning start with first round win; likely to face Iga Swiatek in next round

Liudmila Samsonova brought former world number one Naomi Osaka's return to clay to a halt in the second round of the Madrid Open on Thursday with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory.

Elsewhere, American Coco Gauff sailed through to the third round with a 6-0, 6-0 thumping of&nbsp;Arantxa Rus.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka twice battled back from a break down in the second set to force a decisive third but world number 17 Samsonova eventually ground out the victory.

Japanese star Osaka returned to tennis in January after a long break and earned her first victory on clay for two years on Wednesday against Greet Minnen.

However Russian 15th seed Samsonova, whom Osaka beat at Indian Wells in March, was able to end a four-match losing streak with her victory in two hours 22 minutes in the Spanish capital.

Hard-court expert Osaka, 26, is not overly fond of the red dirt and has not won back-to-back matches on the surface since 2019.

She lost last week at the Rouen Open in France against Martina Trevisan in her first match back on clay but improved this week.

"I felt -- I don't want to say happy -- I felt good that I was able to fight back," said Osaka.

"I think it's a big difference from my match in France, so I was happy that I learned from that match, but obviously really sad that I lost."

Samsonova raced into a 4-0 first set lead, breaking in the first and third games as Osaka struggled.

"Honestly, it's not the sliding part for me, it's the touch," said Osaka.

"I feel like I'm getting the balls, I'm just not really placing them well."

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After recovering an early break Osaka was broken again in the fifth game and Samsonova took a 4-2 lead. However Osaka battled back and won the next four games to take the set.

In the decider the players exchanged breaks before Osaka eventually blinked in the 11th game, with Samsonova wrapping up victory on serve. She will face Madison Keys in the next round.

Gauff, 20, romped to a 'double bagel' triumph in only 51 minutes against her 33-year-old Dutch opponent Rus.

The American saved four break points in the match to become the third player ever to win 6-0, 6-0 in the Madrid Open main draw.

World number three Gauff will face Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska in the third round.

Later Thursday world number one and last year's runner-up in Madrid, Iga Swiatek, faces China's Wang Xiyu.

Liudmila Samsonova brought former world number one Naomi Osaka's return to clay to a halt in the second round of the Madrid Open on Thursday with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory.

Liudmila Samsonova brought former world number one Naomi Osaka's return to clay to a halt in the second round of the Madrid Open on Thursday with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory. Elsewhere, American Coco Gauff sailed through to the third round with a 6-0, 6-0 thumping of Arantxa Rus. Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka twice battled back from a break down in the second set to force a decisive third but world number 17 Samsonova eventually ground out the victory. Japanese star Osaka returned to tennis in January after a long break and earned her first victory on clay for two years on Wednesday against Greet Minnen. However Russian 15th seed Samsonova, whom Osaka beat at Indian Wells in March, was able to end a four-match losing streak with her victory in two hours 22 minutes in the Spanish capital. Hard-court expert Osaka, 26, is not overly fond of the red dirt and has not won back-to-back matches on the surface since 2019. She lost last week at the Rouen Open in France against Martina Trevisan in her first match back on clay but improved this week. "I felt -- I don't want to say happy -- I felt good that I was able to fight back," said Osaka. "I think it's a big difference from my match in France, so I was happy that I learned from that match, but obviously really sad that I lost." Samsonova raced into a 4-0 first set lead, breaking in the first and third games as Osaka struggled. "Honestly, it's not the sliding part for me, it's the touch," said Osaka. "I feel like I'm getting the balls, I'm just not really placing them well." ALSO READ | IPL 2024: 'Don’t spread nonsense', Ambati Rayudu goes ballistic over fake attributed quotes on Ruturaj Gaikwad After recovering an early break Osaka was broken again in the fifth game and Samsonova took a 4-2 lead. However Osaka battled back and won the next four games to take the set. In the decider the players exchanged breaks before Osaka eventually blinked in the 11th game, with Samsonova wrapping up victory on serve. She will face Madison Keys in the next round. Gauff, 20, romped to a 'double bagel' triumph in only 51 minutes against her 33-year-old Dutch opponent Rus. The American saved four break points in the match to become the third player ever to win 6-0, 6-0 in the Madrid Open main draw. World number three Gauff will face Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska in the third round. Later Thursday world number one and last year's runner-up in Madrid, Iga Swiatek, faces China's Wang Xiyu.

Tennis: Naomi Osaka stumbles against Samsonova, Gauff sails through in Madrid Open

Naomi Osaka picked up her first win on clay in two years on Wednesday (Apr 24) and while the former world number one is adapting to the slower surface ahead of the French Open she has no plans to abandon the power game that brought her four Grand Slam titles.

Naomi Osaka picked up her first win on clay in two years on Wednesday (Apr 24) and while the former world number one is adapting to the slower surface ahead of the French Open she has no plans to abandon the power game that brought her four Grand Slam titles. Osaka, who returned to action in January after a 15-month maternity break, has enjoyed huge success thanks to her powerful baseline game but the Japanese player has struggled on clay. Her first match of the season on the surface ended in an opening-round loss to Martina Trevisan at Rouen last week but she responded with a 6-4 6-1 win over Greet Minnen at the Madrid Open on Wednesday. "I slid a couple of times to my forehand pretty well, so I was excited about that," Osaka told reporters. "She was hitting really good drop shots, but I think I got to a couple quite well. Movement-wise I'm feeling a lot more comfortable. "I want to adapt and I'm trying to, but there are things that work for me and have gotten me to where I am, so I don't want to start slicing and dicing. Also read | Tennis: Jannik Sinner not heaping pressure on himself with top ranking in sight ahead of Madrid Open "There's a basis to my game and I want to stick to that, but also respect the court. It's a work in progress for me, but I'm watching a lot more matches on clay. I'm trying to do my homework as best as I can." Osaka, who is now ranked 197th in the world, has never made it to a final on clay and has failed to advance beyond the third round at Roland Garros. "I'd like to win a tournament on clay," said Osaka, who meets Liudmila Samsonova next in Madrid. "It would be very ironic but also hilarious if my first tournament (win of the comeback) would be on clay." The French Open begins on May 26.

Tennis: Naomi Osaka registers first win of season on clay in preparation of French Open

Naomi Osaka took another confident step in her comeback from maternity leave by easing past Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3 6-4 on Wednesday (March 20) to move into the second round of the Miami Open, where another returning mother awaits.

Cocciaretto, ranked 51st in the world, represented a potentially tricky first test for Osaka with the Italian coming into Miami having won the WTA 125 event in Charleston last week.

But the step up in class proved too much as Osaka showed flashes of the form that carried her to four Grand Slam crowns, breaking Cocciaretto at the first opportunity while never allowing her opponent a break chance in the opening set.

Osaka only needed one break in the second as well to get the job done, closing out the contest with an ace on her second match point.

The Japanese player next faces Ukrainian 15th seed Elina Svitolina, who is less than year into her return from maternity leave.

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Kei Nishikori's return to competitive tennis suffered an early blow o when the former-Miami Open finalist was swept out of the opening round 6-3 6-4 by Austrian Sebastian Ofner.

Seeing his first action since last July and playing his first Masters 1000 event in nearly three years, the injury prone Nishikori was unable to produce the energetic form that took him to the 2014 U.S. Open final and number four in the world rankings.

The day got off to a slippery start when the first match on Hard Rock stadium court between Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime and Adam Walton was suspended after just one game due to a light rain.

When play resumed 35 minutes later, Auger-Aliassime completed a 7-5 6-4 win over the plucky Australian qualifier, who was making his Masters tournament debut and seeking his first ever ATP Tour win.

Other day session winners included Daniel Evans, who rallied past Lorenzo Sonego 1-6 6-3 6-4, and Laslo Djere, who defeated Coleman Wong 7-5 7-6(3).

Naomi Osaka took another confident step in her comeback from maternity leave by easing past Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3 6-4 on Wednesday (March 20) to move into the second round of the Miami Open, where another returning mother awaits.

Naomi Osaka took another confident step in her comeback from maternity leave by easing past Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3 6-4 on Wednesday (March 20) to move into the second round of the Miami Open, where another returning mother awaits. Cocciaretto, ranked 51st in the world, represented a potentially tricky first test for Osaka with the Italian coming into Miami having won the WTA 125 event in Charleston last week. But the step up in class proved too much as Osaka showed flashes of the form that carried her to four Grand Slam crowns, breaking Cocciaretto at the first opportunity while never allowing her opponent a break chance in the opening set. Osaka only needed one break in the second as well to get the job done, closing out the contest with an ace on her second match point. The Japanese player next faces Ukrainian 15th seed Elina Svitolina, who is less than year into her return from maternity leave. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: ‘You’ve to respect his decision’ – CSK CEO on MS Dhoni handing over captaincy to Gaikwad Kei Nishikori's return to competitive tennis suffered an early blow o when the former-Miami Open finalist was swept out of the opening round 6-3 6-4 by Austrian Sebastian Ofner. Seeing his first action since last July and playing his first Masters 1000 event in nearly three years, the injury prone Nishikori was unable to produce the energetic form that took him to the 2014 U.S. Open final and number four in the world rankings. The day got off to a slippery start when the first match on Hard Rock stadium court between Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime and Adam Walton was suspended after just one game due to a light rain. When play resumed 35 minutes later, Auger-Aliassime completed a 7-5 6-4 win over the plucky Australian qualifier, who was making his Masters tournament debut and seeking his first ever ATP Tour win. Other day session winners included Daniel Evans, who rallied past Lorenzo Sonego 1-6 6-3 6-4, and Laslo Djere, who defeated Coleman Wong 7-5 7-6(3).

Tennis: Confident Naomi Osaka eases into second round; Kei Nishikori comeback ends in early exit at Miami Open

Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu and Caroline Wozniacki reached the second round of Indian Wells on Thursday while former world number one Venus Williams was heading for victory before losing the last 10 games to Japan's Nao Hibino.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who returned to the tour in January after a maternity break, fell behind 2-1 in the first set to qualifier Sara Errani when she misfired on an overhead into the net in windy conditions.

But the Japanese player settled in from there, using her power to push the Italian around the court and won 10 of the final 11 games to advance 6-3 6-1.

"It was really tricky for me in the first set," she told reporters.

"I didn't know if I should play with her and then go for my shots or if I should immediately go for my shots. That took a little bit of working out, which is why the first set was closer than I would have wanted."

Osaka, who received a wildcard to play at the event she won in 2018 for her first professional title, next faces 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova of Russia.

Former U.S. Open champion Raducanu beat Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova 6-2 6-3 earlier in the day to set up a second-round clash with 30th seed Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine.

The British wildcard broke serve six times but also served eight double faults and needed four match points to close out the contest, which ended when Masarova's backhand sailed long.

Raducanu is playing in her fifth tournament since returning to action in January after being sidelined for eight months due to wrist and ankle surgeries.

Wozniacki, 33, scored her first win in the California desert since 2019, beating Zhu Lin 7-6(6) 6-1 in a match that began on Wednesday before being halted due to rain.

The Dane returned to the tour last year after stepping away from the sport in 2020 to start a family. The tournament's 2011 champion and former world number one will next take on Croatian Donna Vekic, who is seeded 25th.

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams looked poised for victory leading 6-2 3-2 before Hibino turned the tables for a 2-6 6-3 6-0 win.

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The 43-year-old American had not played since suffering an early exit from last year's U.S. Open, where she fell to qualifier Greet Minnen in the first round.

Danielle Collins will face world number one Iga Swiatek in a blockbuster second-round clash after the American edged Russian qualifier Erika Andreeva 7-6(3) 7-6(6).

Collins rallied from 5-3 down in the first set and saved two set points in the second to beat Andreeva and set up a meeting with familiar foe Swiatek.

Collins, 30, announced in January that this would be her last season on the WTA Tour but said her trademark competitiveness is unchanged.

"I feel like it's animal mode from the moment I walk in," she said.

Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu and Caroline Wozniacki reached the second round of Indian Wells on Thursday while former world number one Venus Williams was heading for victory before losing the last 10 games to Japan's Nao Hibino.

Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu and Caroline Wozniacki reached the second round of Indian Wells on Thursday while former world number one Venus Williams was heading for victory before losing the last 10 games to Japan's Nao Hibino. Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who returned to the tour in January after a maternity break, fell behind 2-1 in the first set to qualifier Sara Errani when she misfired on an overhead into the net in windy conditions. But the Japanese player settled in from there, using her power to push the Italian around the court and won 10 of the final 11 games to advance 6-3 6-1. "It was really tricky for me in the first set," she told reporters. "I didn't know if I should play with her and then go for my shots or if I should immediately go for my shots. That took a little bit of working out, which is why the first set was closer than I would have wanted." Osaka, who received a wildcard to play at the event she won in 2018 for her first professional title, next faces 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova of Russia. Former U.S. Open champion Raducanu beat Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova 6-2 6-3 earlier in the day to set up a second-round clash with 30th seed Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine. The British wildcard broke serve six times but also served eight double faults and needed four match points to close out the contest, which ended when Masarova's backhand sailed long. Raducanu is playing in her fifth tournament since returning to action in January after being sidelined for eight months due to wrist and ankle surgeries. Wozniacki, 33, scored her first win in the California desert since 2019, beating Zhu Lin 7-6(6) 6-1 in a match that began on Wednesday before being halted due to rain. The Dane returned to the tour last year after stepping away from the sport in 2020 to start a family. The tournament's 2011 champion and former world number one will next take on Croatian Donna Vekic, who is seeded 25th. Seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams looked poised for victory leading 6-2 3-2 before Hibino turned the tables for a 2-6 6-3 6-0 win. ALSO READ | Leicester City at risk of points deduction for breaching profit and sustainability regulations The 43-year-old American had not played since suffering an early exit from last year's U.S. Open, where she fell to qualifier Greet Minnen in the first round. Danielle Collins will face world number one Iga Swiatek in a blockbuster second-round clash after the American edged Russian qualifier Erika Andreeva 7-6(3) 7-6(6). Collins rallied from 5-3 down in the first set and saved two set points in the second to beat Andreeva and set up a meeting with familiar foe Swiatek. Collins, 30, announced in January that this would be her last season on the WTA Tour but said her trademark competitiveness is unchanged. "I feel like it's animal mode from the moment I walk in," she said.

Tennis: Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu and Caroline Wozniacki reach Indian Wells second round

Naomi Osaka may have lost three straight matches following her successful return from maternity break, but the former world number one said ahead of the Qatar Open that the only way was up from here. The four-times Grand Slam champion, who gave birth to her daughter Shai in July, won her first match after 15 months out at the Brisbane International last month before falling to Karolina Pliskova in the second round.

Osaka crashed to opening defeats at the Australian Open and Abu Dhabi against Caroline Garcia and Danielle Collins, but the 26-year-old from Japan said she had not lost her confidence. "It definitely is hard for me to not be tough on myself, but after Abu Dhabi I actually have more confidence in myself, which is a little strange," Osaka told reporters.

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"I feel like since I have seen the worst that can happen, everything else is a plus. In Australia I knew that I said I was only going to play in Dubai, so I feel like I have to take these tournaments as extra credit. "Someone said to me it's like a very expensive practice, so I don't know, after they said that I felt pretty optimistic."

Osaka, who opens her Doha campaign against 15th seed Garcia later on Monday, said she preferred to face tough opponents like the Frenchwoman. "I learn more from the matches. So of course it's funny to hear I'm playing her again but I'm a little happy," Osaka said. "She's always been a really nice person and I know I'm not supposed to think that about my opponent, but I know we also share the same birthday. At the end of the day, a Libran is going to win."

Naomi Osaka may have lost three straight matches following her successful return from maternity break, but the former world number one said ahead of the Qatar Open that the only way was up from here.

Naomi Osaka may have lost three straight matches following her successful return from maternity break, but the former world number one said ahead of the Qatar Open that the only way was up from here. The four-times Grand Slam champion, who gave birth to her daughter Shai in July, won her first match after 15 months out at the Brisbane International last month before falling to Karolina Pliskova in the second round. Osaka crashed to opening defeats at the Australian Open and Abu Dhabi against Caroline Garcia and Danielle Collins, but the 26-year-old from Japan said she had not lost her confidence. "It definitely is hard for me to not be tough on myself, but after Abu Dhabi I actually have more confidence in myself, which is a little strange," Osaka told reporters. Also read: Marathon world-record holder Kelvin Kiptum dies in car crash in Kenya "I feel like since I have seen the worst that can happen, everything else is a plus. In Australia I knew that I said I was only going to play in Dubai, so I feel like I have to take these tournaments as extra credit. "Someone said to me it's like a very expensive practice, so I don't know, after they said that I felt pretty optimistic." Osaka, who opens her Doha campaign against 15th seed Garcia later on Monday, said she preferred to face tough opponents like the Frenchwoman. "I learn more from the matches. So of course it's funny to hear I'm playing her again but I'm a little happy," Osaka said. "She's always been a really nice person and I know I'm not supposed to think that about my opponent, but I know we also share the same birthday. At the end of the day, a Libran is going to win."

Tennis: Naomi Osaka optimistic despite string of defeats following return ahead of Qatar Open

Former two-time Australian Open winner Japan’s Naomi Osaka crashed out of the ongoing first Grand Slam of the year in straight sets in the first round on Monday. Upon her return to top-flight tennis after being away for 15 months on maternity leave, Osaka lost to Caroline Garcia 4-6, 6-7 (2) at the Rod Laver Arena.

Entering the competition with just two weeks of training, Osaka faced a stern challenge from the French star and 16th-seeded Garcia, who, much like Osaka, is also strong on the baseline. Osaka’s much-awaited and talked-about return didn’t reap enough rewards as she bowed out sluggishly.&nbsp;

The first set was a see-saw ride before Garcia gained an advantage because of a double fault, winning the first point (of the match) in the fifth game. Making the most of her chance, the former world number four went for the set on the back of two consecutive aces, winning it eventually by 6-4.&nbsp;

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The former ranked number one women’s player in the world, Osaka won her first three service games in the second set but crumbled under pressure against Garcia, who continued to serve well and broke Osaka’s momentum.&nbsp;

Having beaten her previously (6-2, 6-3) during the 2021 AO edition, Osaka found it tougher to walk past her opponent this time, who had upped her game in these two years.

With the second set going into the tiebreaker, Garcia, who already held an advantage with a first-set win, won her first match point after Osaka smashed her backhand shot into the net.&nbsp;

Garcia eventually won the tiebreaker, the second set and the match.

<h2>Osaka to be back soon – Garcia</h2>

Just after causing the first major upset in the women’s division in the Australian Open 2024, Garcia showered words of praise on Osaka, saying she expects the ‘new mommy’ in the town to return stronger and get back to where she belongs - the top of the women’s ATP rankings.

"She has had an amazing career; she has been away for 15 months and been through a lot," the 30-year-old said. "I hope she can enjoy her tennis. She has done a lot for tennis in the past few years. Six months after giving birth and she's playing amazing, so we have to watch out."

Meanwhile, after going down in the first rounds of the French and the US Opens in 2022, Osaka bowled out of the Australian Open this early for the first time.

Former two-time Australian Open winner Japan’s Naomi Osaka crashed out of the ongoing first Grand Slam of the year in straight sets in the first round on Monday.

Former two-time Australian Open winner Japan’s Naomi Osaka crashed out of the ongoing first Grand Slam of the year in straight sets in the first round on Monday. Upon her return to top-flight tennis after being away for 15 months on maternity leave, Osaka lost to Caroline Garcia 4-6, 6-7 (2) at the Rod Laver Arena. Entering the competition with just two weeks of training, Osaka faced a stern challenge from the French star and 16th-seeded Garcia, who, much like Osaka, is also strong on the baseline. Osaka’s much-awaited and talked-about return didn’t reap enough rewards as she bowed out sluggishly. The first set was a see-saw ride before Garcia gained an advantage because of a double fault, winning the first point (of the match) in the fifth game. Making the most of her chance, the former world number four went for the set on the back of two consecutive aces, winning it eventually by 6-4. ALSO READ: Andy Murray hints at retirement from Australian Open following first-round slump The former ranked number one women’s player in the world, Osaka won her first three service games in the second set but crumbled under pressure against Garcia, who continued to serve well and broke Osaka’s momentum. Having beaten her previously (6-2, 6-3) during the 2021 AO edition, Osaka found it tougher to walk past her opponent this time, who had upped her game in these two years. With the second set going into the tiebreaker, Garcia, who already held an advantage with a first-set win, won her first match point after Osaka smashed her backhand shot into the net. Garcia eventually won the tiebreaker, the second set and the match. Osaka to be back soon – Garcia Just after causing the first major upset in the women’s division in the Australian Open 2024, Garcia showered words of praise on Osaka, saying she expects the ‘new mommy’ in the town to return stronger and get back to where she belongs - the top of the women’s ATP rankings. "She has had an amazing career; she has been away for 15 months and been through a lot," the 30-year-old said. "I hope she can enjoy her tennis. She has done a lot for tennis in the past few years. Six months after giving birth and she's playing amazing, so we have to watch out." Meanwhile, after going down in the first rounds of the French and the US Opens in 2022, Osaka bowled out of the Australian Open this early for the first time.

Australian Open 2024: Returning two-time winner Naomi Osaka crashes out in first round

Defending champion Karolina Pliskova used her big serve to full advantage to end Naomi Osaka's return to tennis in the second round of the Brisbane International on Wednesday.

Pliskova, who won the tournament the last time it was held in 2020, bounced back from losing the first set to grind down the Japanese star 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka&nbsp;had not played a tournament since September 2022, citing mental health concerns.

She had a baby daughter in July before deciding to make a comeback.

After an impressive first-round win over Germany's Tamara Korpatsch, Osaka started strongly against the 39th-ranked Pliskova, breaking the Czech's opening service game.

Pliskova, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, levelled but Osaka broke again to take a 4-2 lead then held on to bank the opening set.

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The momentum began to shift in the second set as the tall Pliskova began to find the mark with her serve.

She won the second set tiebreak then got an early break in the third, holding on with ease to take the match in 2hr 13min.

"I thought I played quite well -- there are a lot of things to improve but it's a good start," said Pliskova, adding that after a first-round bye and having not played since September, she needed time to find her feet.

"You can practise as much as you want but in matches it's always a little bit different," she said.

"It's been a long break but I've been doing this sport for many, many years.

"I've been training for a couple of months and I think I'm in pretty good shape."

Defending champion Karolina Pliskova used her big serve to full advantage to end Naomi Osaka's return to tennis in the second round of the Brisbane International on Wednesday.

Defending champion Karolina Pliskova used her big serve to full advantage to end Naomi Osaka's return to tennis in the second round of the Brisbane International on Wednesday. Pliskova, who won the tournament the last time it was held in 2020, bounced back from losing the first set to grind down the Japanese star 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4. Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka had not played a tournament since September 2022, citing mental health concerns. She had a baby daughter in July before deciding to make a comeback. After an impressive first-round win over Germany's Tamara Korpatsch, Osaka started strongly against the 39th-ranked Pliskova, breaking the Czech's opening service game. Pliskova, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, levelled but Osaka broke again to take a 4-2 lead then held on to bank the opening set. ALSO READ | AUS vs PAK: Waqar Younis blasts Pakistan team management for resting Shaheen Afridi in Sydney Test The momentum began to shift in the second set as the tall Pliskova began to find the mark with her serve. She won the second set tiebreak then got an early break in the third, holding on with ease to take the match in 2hr 13min. "I thought I played quite well -- there are a lot of things to improve but it's a good start," said Pliskova, adding that after a first-round bye and having not played since September, she needed time to find her feet. "You can practise as much as you want but in matches it's always a little bit different," she said. "It's been a long break but I've been doing this sport for many, many years. "I've been training for a couple of months and I think I'm in pretty good shape."

Tennis: Naomi Osaka's Brisbane comeback ended by big-serving Karolina Pliskova

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka looked solid on her return to elite tennis after 15 months out as she beat Germany's Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 7-6(9) in the first round of the Brisbane International on Monday. The 26-year-old from Japan last competed on tour at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September 2022 and had her first child, daughter Shai, in July before stepping up her preparations for the Jan. 14-28 Australian Open.

Osaka displayed no signs of rust to break Korpatsch to love in her first game back and the former world number one turned up the heat again towards the end of the opening set to close it out in 38 minutes with a sizzling forehand winner. Twice Melbourne Park champion Osaka dropped serve for a second time late in the next set to squander her advantage but continued her clean ball-striking in the fiercely contested tiebreak to secure the victory.

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"I was super nervous but I was really excited to be out here. It feels really good to be back," Osaka said after taking pictures with fans courtside. "I feel like the last couple of years that I played before I had my daughter I didn't return as much love as I was given, 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, because I feel there was a time that I was just a little kid trying to watch my role models play. So it feels really surreal sometimes to be playing on these courts."

Up next for Osaka is a clash with former world number one Karolina Pliskova, who received a bye into the second round.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka looked solid on her return to elite tennis after 15 months out as she beat Germany's Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 7-6(9) in the first round of the Brisbane International on Monday.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka looked solid on her return to elite tennis after 15 months out as she beat Germany's Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 7-6(9) in the first round of the Brisbane International on Monday. The 26-year-old from Japan last competed on tour at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September 2022 and had her first child, daughter Shai, in July before stepping up her preparations for the Jan. 14-28 Australian Open. Osaka displayed no signs of rust to break Korpatsch to love in her first game back and the former world number one turned up the heat again towards the end of the opening set to close it out in 38 minutes with a sizzling forehand winner. Twice Melbourne Park champion Osaka dropped serve for a second time late in the next set to squander her advantage but continued her clean ball-striking in the fiercely contested tiebreak to secure the victory. Also read: Tennis: Rafael Nadal loses comeback doubles match at Brisbane International "I was super nervous but I was really excited to be out here. It feels really good to be back," Osaka said after taking pictures with fans courtside. "I feel like the last couple of years that I played before I had my daughter I didn't return as much love as I was given, 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, because I feel there was a time that I was just a little kid trying to watch my role models play. So it feels really surreal sometimes to be playing on these courts." Up next for Osaka is a clash with former world number one Karolina Pliskova, who received a bye into the second round.

Tennis: New mother Naomi Osaka makes winning return in Brisbane ahead of Australian Open 2024

The stage is set for the first-ever Grand Slam of 2024. The Australian Open will kick off on January 14 and the preparations are in full swing. Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will officially mark their return to the Grand Slams, after long gaps, as the entry list for the upcoming 2024 edition is out.&nbsp;Both Nadal and Osaka will make a comeback during the Brisbane International, which will be held ahead of the Australian Open from Jan 1-7.

The Spaniard&nbsp;made his way on the entry list of the Australian Open on the basis of Protected Ranking along with Croatia’s Marin Cilic, Denis Shapovalov (Canada) and Milos Raonic, USA’s Reilly Opelka and Czech Republic’s Jiri Vesely. Meanwhile, Osaka was drafted in courtesy of the Special Ranking along with USA’s Jennifer Brady, Amanda Anisimova, Shelby Rogers and Caty McNally, Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Australia’s Ajila Tomlanovic.

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AO 2024 entry lists locked in. Let’s get this show on the road ☑️ 😎 <a href="https://t.co/fXGQluKVKn">https://t.co/fXGQluKVKn</a>
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Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-rafael-nadal-believes-he-will-be-competitive-in-his-return-666966">Tennis: Rafael Nadal believes he will be 'competitive' in his return</a>

Nadal will make a comeback&nbsp;after a long gap. He hasn't played any form of tennis since his second-round exit at the Australian Open early this year. He even bowed out of the 2023 French Open, owing to a hip injury, which led&nbsp;to his ouster from the top 100 for the first time in 20 years.&nbsp;

Ahead of his comeback, Nadal said in a video posted on social media, "I don't know at what level (he will play at), I don't know what to expect, I have no idea, but I don't care right now. I'm just happy to be back and with great excitement to make the effort that is necessary to have fun and I believe that I will be competitive."

He further opined, "It's been a long year in which I've gone through many phases, from trying to get back to compete at the clay season, week after week, disappointment after disappointment."

"Of course I have had many doubts, of course there were moments where it seemed impossible that this moment would come, but we've maintained the work, spirit and hope and I think I am ready," the former world number one Nadal added.

Meanwhile, Osaka will return after post-pregnancy after she became&nbsp;a mother&nbsp;in July. The 26-year-old has been away from professional tennis since the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis, held in September 2022.

The stage is set for the first-ever Grand Slam of 2024. The Australian Open will kick off on January 14 and the preparations are in full swing. Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will officially mark their return to the Grand Slams, after long gaps, as the entry list for the upcoming 2024 edition is out.

The stage is set for the first-ever Grand Slam of 2024. The Australian Open will kick off on January 14 and the preparations are in full swing. Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka will officially mark their return to the Grand Slams, after long gaps, as the entry list for the upcoming 2024 edition is out. Both Nadal and Osaka will make a comeback during the Brisbane International, which will be held ahead of the Australian Open from Jan 1-7. The Spaniard made his way on the entry list of the Australian Open on the basis of Protected Ranking along with Croatia’s Marin Cilic, Denis Shapovalov (Canada) and Milos Raonic, USA’s Reilly Opelka and Czech Republic’s Jiri Vesely. Meanwhile, Osaka was drafted in courtesy of the Special Ranking along with USA’s Jennifer Brady, Amanda Anisimova, Shelby Rogers and Caty McNally, Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Australia’s Ajila Tomlanovic. AO 2024 entry lists locked in. Let’s get this show on the road ☑️ 😎 https://t.co/fXGQluKVKn — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) December 6, 2023 × Also read: Tennis: Rafael Nadal believes he will be 'competitive' in his return Nadal will make a comeback after a long gap. He hasn't played any form of tennis since his second-round exit at the Australian Open early this year. He even bowed out of the 2023 French Open, owing to a hip injury, which led to his ouster from the top 100 for the first time in 20 years. Ahead of his comeback, Nadal said in a video posted on social media, "I don't know at what level (he will play at), I don't know what to expect, I have no idea, but I don't care right now. I'm just happy to be back and with great excitement to make the effort that is necessary to have fun and I believe that I will be competitive." He further opined, "It's been a long year in which I've gone through many phases, from trying to get back to compete at the clay season, week after week, disappointment after disappointment." "Of course I have had many doubts, of course there were moments where it seemed impossible that this moment would come, but we've maintained the work, spirit and hope and I think I am ready," the former world number one Nadal added. Meanwhile, Osaka will return after post-pregnancy after she became a mother in July. The 26-year-old has been away from professional tennis since the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis, held in September 2022.

Tennis: Rafael Nadal, Naomi Osaka mark their return as Australian Open announce entry list for 2024 edition

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will make her eagerly anticipated return to tennis at the Brisbane International in Australia, organisers said on Friday. Starting on the last day of December, the Brisbane tournament is a warm-up for the Australian Open Grand Slam starting in mid-January.&nbsp;

The 26-year-old former world number one Osaka gave birth to daughter Shai in July and has not played on tour since September 2022, having also struggled with her mental health and the pressures of tennis.&nbsp;

"I always love starting my season in Brisbane and can't wait to return," Japan's Osaka said.&nbsp;"The Brisbane International is such a great tournament and will set me up for a brilliant comeback this summer."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rugby-ireland-wing-andrew-conway-retires-at-32-due-to-knee-injury-657164">Rugby: Ireland wing Andrew Conway retires at 32 due to knee injury</a>

Osaka has won four major titles, triumphing in the 2019 and 2021 Australian Opens, and winning the US Open in 2018 and 2020.&nbsp; Osaka earlier this year said her break from the sport had "really fuelled a fire in me". Osaka will be joined in Brisbane by Grand Slam winners Andy Murray and Victoria Azarenka, as well as Grigor Dimitrov and Holger Rune. &nbsp;

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will make her eagerly anticipated return to tennis at the Brisbane International in Australia, organisers said on Friday.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will make her eagerly anticipated return to tennis at the Brisbane International in Australia, organisers said on Friday. Starting on the last day of December, the Brisbane tournament is a warm-up for the Australian Open Grand Slam starting in mid-January. The 26-year-old former world number one Osaka gave birth to daughter Shai in July and has not played on tour since September 2022, having also struggled with her mental health and the pressures of tennis. "I always love starting my season in Brisbane and can't wait to return," Japan's Osaka said. "The Brisbane International is such a great tournament and will set me up for a brilliant comeback this summer." Also read: Rugby: Ireland wing Andrew Conway retires at 32 due to knee injury Osaka has won four major titles, triumphing in the 2019 and 2021 Australian Opens, and winning the US Open in 2018 and 2020. Osaka earlier this year said her break from the sport had "really fuelled a fire in me". Osaka will be joined in Brisbane by Grand Slam winners Andy Murray and Victoria Azarenka, as well as Grigor Dimitrov and Holger Rune.

Tennis: Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka to make eagerly awaited comeback in Brisbane

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka plans to return to tennis in time for the 2024 Australian Open, saying Wednesday her break from the sport "really fueled a fire in me".

The 25-year-old Japanese star gave birth to daughter Shai in July and hasn't played since September 2022, when she made her last tournament appearance at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

In an interview with ESPN at the US Open on Wednesday, Osaka replied "yes" when asked if she would be in Melbourne at the start of next year.

Osaka, who participated in a mental health forum with swimming legend Michael Phelps at Flushing Meadows, said she was anticipating making a full-time return to the women's tour in 2024.&nbsp;

"It's definitely way more tournaments than I used to play," said Osaka.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-open-2023-aryna-sabalenka-beats-chinas-zheng-qinwen-to-reach-semi-finals-633071">US Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka beats China's Zheng Qinwen to reach semi-finals</a>

"I think it's because I realise like I don't know how the beginning of the year is going to go for me," she explained.

"I don't know the level of play and I think I kind of have to ease into it, so at the very least I'm going to set myself up for a very good end of the year."

The top ranked player in the world in 2019, Osaka &nbsp;-- who grew up in the United States -- is now ranked 603rd.

She has won four Grand Slam singles titles with triumphs in the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021 and the US Open in 2018 and 2020.

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Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka plans to return to tennis in time for the 2024 Australian Open, saying Wednesday her break from the sport "really fueled a fire in me".

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka plans to return to tennis in time for the 2024 Australian Open, saying Wednesday her break from the sport "really fueled a fire in me". The 25-year-old Japanese star gave birth to daughter Shai in July and hasn't played since September 2022, when she made her last tournament appearance at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. In an interview with ESPN at the US Open on Wednesday, Osaka replied "yes" when asked if she would be in Melbourne at the start of next year. Osaka, who participated in a mental health forum with swimming legend Michael Phelps at Flushing Meadows, said she was anticipating making a full-time return to the women's tour in 2024. "It's definitely way more tournaments than I used to play," said Osaka. ALSO READ | US Open 2023: Aryna Sabalenka beats China's Zheng Qinwen to reach semi-finals "I think it's because I realise like I don't know how the beginning of the year is going to go for me," she explained. "I don't know the level of play and I think I kind of have to ease into it, so at the very least I'm going to set myself up for a very good end of the year." The top ranked player in the world in 2019, Osaka -- who grew up in the United States -- is now ranked 603rd. She has won four Grand Slam singles titles with triumphs in the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021 and the US Open in 2018 and 2020. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Former champion Naomi Osaka to return for 2024 Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Australian Open 2023 without stepping foot on the court. The 27-year-old announced his decision on the eve of his opening match and said he was 'devastated' to have missed out on his home grand slam.

Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Australian Open 2023 without stepping foot on the court. The 27-year-old announced his decision on the eve of his opening match and said he was 'devastated' to have missed out on his home grand slam. “It’s just bad timing. That’s life, you know. Injuries are part of sport...I’m not doubting that I’ll be back to my full strength. Devastated obviously," said Kyrgios in a hastily arranged press conference. "It’s my home tournament and going into this event as one of the favourites, it’s brutal.” The Australian had been struggling with an ankle issue, leading into the event. Kyrgios' physio Will Maher informed the media that a cyst had formed as a result of a small tear in his lateral meniscus. The divisive Australian participated in a charity match alongside Novak Djokovic last Friday. Maher said the match was used to see if Kyrgios could compete at the Grand Slam. However, he “didn’t pull up great” from Friday’s match. Read more: Nick Kyrgios settles legal case with Wimbledon fan he accused of being drunk “We used the charity event against Novak to see if he could compete at the highest level...it was worth persevering to see if he can get back on court." The defending champion in the doubles is expected to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove the cyst. The rehabilitation process may take five-six weeks and Kyrgios might only be available for Indian Wells which starts in March. After years of underachieving, Kyrgios had a terrific run of form in the second half of 2022, winning the title in Washington and reaching his first Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon and the US Open quarter-finals. In the Australian Open 2022, Kyrgios partnered up with his countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis and went the distance by winning the title at Melbourne Park. Kyrgios has become the latest high-profile name to have withdrawn from the Australian Open. Previously, it was Japanese Naomi Osaka who withdrew from the tournament due to her pregnancy. Read more: Heartbreak! World no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz to miss Australian Open due to an injury (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Australian Open 2023: 'Devastated' Nick Kyrgios pulls out of the tournament due to injury

A couple of days after withdrawing from the Australian Open, former world number 1 Naomi Osaka has revealed that she is pregnant and expecting her first child with American rapper Cordae. The two have been dating since 2019.&nbsp;

Osaka took to Twitter to share the joyous news and said she was looking forward to being a mom.&nbsp;

"I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I'm looking forward to is for my kid to watch my matches and tell someone, 'That's my mom' haha," wrote Osaka.&nbsp;

Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion hinted that she will be taking off for the year but will return to the tournament in 2024.&nbsp;

"2023 will be a year that'll be full of lessons for me and I hope I'll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I'll be at Aus 2024. Love you all infinitely."

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Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023. <a href="https://t.co/GYXRnutU3I">pic.twitter.com/GYXRnutU3I</a>
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) <a href="https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/1613223970891010049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Many had anticipated the 25-year-old to return to the Rod Laver Arena to give another crack at the title, having been eliminated in the third round by American challenger, Amanda Anisimova last year.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/heartbreak-world-no-1-carlos-alcaraz-to-miss-australian-open-due-to-an-injury-550173">Read more:&nbsp;Heartbreak! World no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz to miss Australian Open due to an injury</a>

Osaka has been missing from Tennis action since September. Her last appearance came in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo where she withdrew in the second round after complaining of abdominal pain.&nbsp;

However, Osaka looked at the silver lining and said the time away from the game had helped her gain a new perspective.&nbsp;

"The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that its the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun," added Osaka.&nbsp;

"These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I've dedicated my life to. I realize that life is so short and I don't take any moments for granted, everyday is a new blessing and adventure."

The Japanese reached a career-high ATP world no. 1 ranking in 2019 but has since slipped to 47th in the world.

She has a total of four Grand Slam singles titles in her cabinet and was crowned the world's top-earning female athlete for 2022 by Forbes.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A couple of days after withdrawing from the Australian Open, former world number 1 Naomi Osaka has revealed that she is pregnant and expecting her first child with American rapper Cordae.

A couple of days after withdrawing from the Australian Open, former world number 1 Naomi Osaka has revealed that she is pregnant and expecting her first child with American rapper Cordae. The two have been dating since 2019. Osaka took to Twitter to share the joyous news and said she was looking forward to being a mom. "I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I'm looking forward to is for my kid to watch my matches and tell someone, 'That's my mom' haha," wrote Osaka. Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion hinted that she will be taking off for the year but will return to the tournament in 2024. "2023 will be a year that'll be full of lessons for me and I hope I'll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I'll be at Aus 2024. Love you all infinitely." Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023. pic.twitter.com/GYXRnutU3I — NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 11, 2023 × Many had anticipated the 25-year-old to return to the Rod Laver Arena to give another crack at the title, having been eliminated in the third round by American challenger, Amanda Anisimova last year. Read more: Heartbreak! World no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz to miss Australian Open due to an injury Osaka has been missing from Tennis action since September. Her last appearance came in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo where she withdrew in the second round after complaining of abdominal pain. However, Osaka looked at the silver lining and said the time away from the game had helped her gain a new perspective. "The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that its the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun," added Osaka. "These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I've dedicated my life to. I realize that life is so short and I don't take any moments for granted, everyday is a new blessing and adventure." The Japanese reached a career-high ATP world no. 1 ranking in 2019 but has since slipped to 47th in the world. She has a total of four Grand Slam singles titles in her cabinet and was crowned the world's top-earning female athlete for 2022 by Forbes. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Naomi Osaka announces pregnancy after withdrawing from Australian Open, sets eye on a 2024 return

A couple of days after withdrawing from the Australian Open, former world number 1 Naomi Osaka has revealed that she is pregnant and expecting her first child with American rapper Cordae. Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion hinted that she will be taking off for the year but will return to the tournament in 2024.

Naomi Osaka announces pregnancy, plans tennis return in 2024

The former world number one Naomi Osaka is the latest name to pull out of the upcoming Australian Open (AO) 2023, that begins on January 16th. Osaka’s participation at the event was always under the dark cloud with the Japanese star not competing in any of the events in the lead-up to the first Slam of this year. Putting all those speculations to rest, on Sunday, January 8th, Australian Open in a tweet informed everyone about this news without mentioning any specific reason.

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Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2023</a> 💙
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1611937704362782722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/injured-venus-williams-withdraws-her-name-from-australian-open-2023-550316">Injured Venus Williams withdraws her name from Australian Open 2023</a>

Other than Osaka, the 2022 US Open winner, Carlos Alcaraz alongside veteran Venus Williams also withdrew their names from this event owing to injuries. Former world number one Simona Halep will also be missing the Australian Open this year following her pending drug suspension investigation.

Having won the Australian Open twice in the past -&nbsp;in 2019 and 2021, the 24-year-old Osaka will be missing this Hardcourt Major Down Under for the first time since making her debut here in 2016.

Not only this, Osaka has now missed two of the last three Grand Slams including the Wimbledon last year due to an Achilles injury. Meanwhile, at the French Open last year, she got out in the first round losing to Amanda Anisimova in straight sets. A few months later at the last Slam of the year – the US Open, Naomi suffered the same fate losing to Danielle Collins 7-6, 6-3 in the opener.

The four-time Grand Slam winner hasn’t actually played a competitive match since pulling out of a tournament in September 2022 citing abdominal pain. Besides, she also remained out of top 10 in 2022, where she even admitted to be suffering from mental health.

Currently ranked 42nd in the WTA Rankings, Osaka while speaking at the Pan Pacific Open in September last year, claimed that she had gone through "more down than up" in 2022.

The former world number one Naomi Osaka is the latest name to pull out of the upcoming Australian Open (AO) 2023, that begins on January 16th. Osaka’s participation at the event was always under the dark cloud with the Japanese star not competing in any of the events in the lead-up to the first Slam of this year.

The former world number one Naomi Osaka is the latest name to pull out of the upcoming Australian Open (AO) 2023, that begins on January 16th. Osaka’s participation at the event was always under the dark cloud with the Japanese star not competing in any of the events in the lead-up to the first Slam of this year. Putting all those speculations to rest, on Sunday, January 8th, Australian Open in a tweet informed everyone about this news without mentioning any specific reason. Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023 💙 — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 8, 2023 × ALSO READ: Injured Venus Williams withdraws her name from Australian Open 2023 Other than Osaka, the 2022 US Open winner, Carlos Alcaraz alongside veteran Venus Williams also withdrew their names from this event owing to injuries. Former world number one Simona Halep will also be missing the Australian Open this year following her pending drug suspension investigation. Having won the Australian Open twice in the past - in 2019 and 2021, the 24-year-old Osaka will be missing this Hardcourt Major Down Under for the first time since making her debut here in 2016. Not only this, Osaka has now missed two of the last three Grand Slams including the Wimbledon last year due to an Achilles injury. Meanwhile, at the French Open last year, she got out in the first round losing to Amanda Anisimova in straight sets. A few months later at the last Slam of the year – the US Open, Naomi suffered the same fate losing to Danielle Collins 7-6, 6-3 in the opener. The four-time Grand Slam winner hasn’t actually played a competitive match since pulling out of a tournament in September 2022 citing abdominal pain. Besides, she also remained out of top 10 in 2022, where she even admitted to be suffering from mental health. Currently ranked 42nd in the WTA Rankings, Osaka while speaking at the Pan Pacific Open in September last year, claimed that she had gone through "more down than up" in 2022.

Former world number 1 Naomi Osaka becomes latest star player to pull out of Australian Open 2023

The defending champion Naomi Osaka has announced her withdrawal from the ongoing Pan Pacific Open due to illness. Her withdrawal comes ahead of her second-round match against number 16 Beatriz Haddad Maia. "I am really sorry that I am not able to compete today. It is an honour to be able to play at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in front of the amazing fans here in Japan. This has and always will be a special tournament for me and I wish I could have stepped on the court today, but my body would not let me. Thank you for all your support this week and I will see you next year," Osaka was quoted as saying by WTA in a statement on Thursday.

Following this announcement, Haddad Maia has advanced to the quarterfinals via walkover. She will face either No. 4 seed Veronika Kudermetova or Mexican qualifier Fernanda Contreras Gomez in the QFs. Osaka is the defending champion, clinching the title in 2019. No competition could happen in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-what-is-laver-cup-and-its-format-everything-to-know-about-roger-federers-farewell-event-518663">EXPLAINED: What is Laver Cup and its format? Everything to know about Roger Federer's farewell event</a>

In the ongoing edition of the tournament, Osaka advanced to the second round after Daria Saville of Australia was forced to retire owing to a knee injury during the first round. Prior to the event, she had told media that she was fit and healthy again to contest after a season spent battling injuries. 
 
"I think of course the year has been not the best year for me but I think overall I have learned a lot about myself. I am happy to be healthy because in Europe I did injure myself and that was the first injury that took me that long to get healed," Osaka had said. 
 
"I think life is ups and downs and this one was more down than up but overall I am happy with where I am right now," she had added. The Pan Pacific Open will be going on from September 19 to September 25 this year.

The defending champion Naomi Osaka has announced her withdrawal from the ongoing Pan Pacific Open due to illness. Her withdrawal comes ahead of her second-round match against number 16 Beatriz Haddad Maia.

The defending champion Naomi Osaka has announced her withdrawal from the ongoing Pan Pacific Open due to illness. Her withdrawal comes ahead of her second-round match against number 16 Beatriz Haddad Maia. "I am really sorry that I am not able to compete today. It is an honour to be able to play at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in front of the amazing fans here in Japan. This has and always will be a special tournament for me and I wish I could have stepped on the court today, but my body would not let me. Thank you for all your support this week and I will see you next year," Osaka was quoted as saying by WTA in a statement on Thursday. Following this announcement, Haddad Maia has advanced to the quarterfinals via walkover. She will face either No. 4 seed Veronika Kudermetova or Mexican qualifier Fernanda Contreras Gomez in the QFs. Osaka is the defending champion, clinching the title in 2019. No competition could happen in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ALSO READ | EXPLAINED: What is Laver Cup and its format? Everything to know about Roger Federer's farewell event In the ongoing edition of the tournament, Osaka advanced to the second round after Daria Saville of Australia was forced to retire owing to a knee injury during the first round. Prior to the event, she had told media that she was fit and healthy again to contest after a season spent battling injuries. "I think of course the year has been not the best year for me but I think overall I have learned a lot about myself. I am happy to be healthy because in Europe I did injure myself and that was the first injury that took me that long to get healed," Osaka had said. "I think life is ups and downs and this one was more down than up but overall I am happy with where I am right now," she had added. The Pan Pacific Open will be going on from September 19 to September 25 this year.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka pulls out of Pan Pacific Open due to illness

Struggling Naomi Osaka admitted Monday that she had gone through "more down than up" this year as she tries to break out of her slump at her home Pan Pacific Open this week. The former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion has plummeted to 48 in the women's tennis world rankings after a wretched run that has seen her crash out in the first round of her last three tournaments.

The Japanese 24-year-old has not won a title since last year's Australian Open and has been hampered this season by injury. But Osaka is hoping to right the ship at the WTA event in Tokyo where she is defending champion, albeit from three years ago as the tournament returns for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. She will face stiff competition from a field that includes US Open semi-finalist Caroline Garcia of France, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and Spain's world number four Paula Badosa.

"This year has been not the best year for me but I've learned a lot about myself," Osaka said, adding that she was "happy to be healthy". "Life is ups and downs, and this year was more down than up, but overall I'm pretty happy with where I am now." Osaka has been outside the top 10 all year and endured first-round defeats at both the French and US Opens. She withdrew from Wimbledon with an Achilles injury, after originally considering skipping the tournament because ranking points would not be awarded.

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Osaka admitted that her fall from the sport's summit had been difficult to handle. "It was kind of hard at first, just because I feel like I should be somewhere where I'm obviously currently not," she said. "I think for me it's more about being at peace with myself. I know that I'm here for a reason." Osaka said she was looking forward to playing in front of Japanese fans again after taking part in last year's Tokyo Olympics behind closed doors, but would have to "trust in my forehand more" to rebuild her confidence after her poor season.&nbsp;

She will begin her campaign against Australia's world number 55 Daria Saville in the&nbsp;first round. Osaka paid tribute to tennis legend Serena Williams, who retired after the US Open, and said she had "gotten over trying to fill people's shoes". "I don't think you can ever do that because everyone is unique, and we're all forging our own paths and we're all on our own journeys," said Osaka. "It's really incredible all the stuff she's done for this sport and beyond that. Just watching her as a businesswoman is really cool."

Struggling Naomi Osaka admitted Monday that she had gone through "more down than up" this year as she tries to break out of her slump at her home Pan Pacific Open this week.

Struggling Naomi Osaka admitted Monday that she had gone through "more down than up" this year as she tries to break out of her slump at her home Pan Pacific Open this week. The former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion has plummeted to 48 in the women's tennis world rankings after a wretched run that has seen her crash out in the first round of her last three tournaments. The Japanese 24-year-old has not won a title since last year's Australian Open and has been hampered this season by injury. But Osaka is hoping to right the ship at the WTA event in Tokyo where she is defending champion, albeit from three years ago as the tournament returns for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. She will face stiff competition from a field that includes US Open semi-finalist Caroline Garcia of France, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and Spain's world number four Paula Badosa. "This year has been not the best year for me but I've learned a lot about myself," Osaka said, adding that she was "happy to be healthy". "Life is ups and downs, and this year was more down than up, but overall I'm pretty happy with where I am now." Osaka has been outside the top 10 all year and endured first-round defeats at both the French and US Opens. She withdrew from Wimbledon with an Achilles injury, after originally considering skipping the tournament because ranking points would not be awarded. ALSO READ | Czech Republic teenager Linda Fruhvirtova wins Chennai Open Osaka admitted that her fall from the sport's summit had been difficult to handle. "It was kind of hard at first, just because I feel like I should be somewhere where I'm obviously currently not," she said. "I think for me it's more about being at peace with myself. I know that I'm here for a reason." Osaka said she was looking forward to playing in front of Japanese fans again after taking part in last year's Tokyo Olympics behind closed doors, but would have to "trust in my forehand more" to rebuild her confidence after her poor season. She will begin her campaign against Australia's world number 55 Daria Saville in the first round. Osaka paid tribute to tennis legend Serena Williams, who retired after the US Open, and said she had "gotten over trying to fill people's shoes". "I don't think you can ever do that because everyone is unique, and we're all forging our own paths and we're all on our own journeys," said Osaka. "It's really incredible all the stuff she's done for this sport and beyond that. Just watching her as a businesswoman is really cool."

Japan's Naomi Osaka aiming to break slump in Pan Pacific Open

Naomi Osaka's hopes of a third US&nbsp;Open&nbsp;title were dashed in the first round itself on Tuesday as the Japanese star slumped to a straight sets loss against Danielle Collins.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, a winner at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020, was beaten 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 by 19th-seeded American Collins in a battle of two big hitters. Collins, the finalist at this year's Australian&nbsp;Open, now advances to a second-round clash with Spain's Cristina Bucsa.

The 28-year-old right-hander from Florida will head into that assignment brimming with confidence after showing great composure to put away Osaka at Arthur Ashe Stadium. No one was more surprised at the victory than Collins, who had skipped tournaments in Silicon Valley and Toronto to allow herself time to recuperate from a neck injury.

"I'm just really still kind of speechless in a way because I took the summer off," Collins said. "To kind of come out here, play a tough opponent first round, someone that's won two Grand Slams here, it's not easy."

"Just really over the moon about being able to get through this first round because I don't think most players want to face Naomi in the first round."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-open-rafael-nadal-rallies-back-to-beat-rinky-hijikata-in-first-round-511641">US Open: Rafael Nadal rallies back to beat Rinky Hijikata in first round</a>

Former world number one Osaka, whose ranking has fallen to 44 after an inconsistent year, made a smooth start with an early break to take a 3-0 lead. But Collins battled back into the match and took the first set after winning a hard-fought tie-break. With both players producing some booming groundstrokes, the second set was a question of who would blink first.

Collins put herself on the threshold of victory after breaking Osaka for a 5-3 lead in the eighth game. Osaka, 24, came within touching distance of securing the break of serve needed to keep the match alive after taking a 15-40 lead in the ninth game.

But Collins rallied back to deuce and then seized victory on her first match point when Osaka hit a return long. Osaka later said she had been bothered by a niggling back problem. "I tried as hard as I could. I wanted to play without my back being in pain. I only really started serving two days ago," she said.

Naomi Osaka's hopes of a third US Open title were dashed in the first round itself on Tuesday as the Japanese star slumped to a straight sets loss against Danielle Collins.

Naomi Osaka's hopes of a third US Open title were dashed in the first round itself on Tuesday as the Japanese star slumped to a straight sets loss against Danielle Collins. Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, a winner at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020, was beaten 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 by 19th-seeded American Collins in a battle of two big hitters. Collins, the finalist at this year's Australian Open, now advances to a second-round clash with Spain's Cristina Bucsa. The 28-year-old right-hander from Florida will head into that assignment brimming with confidence after showing great composure to put away Osaka at Arthur Ashe Stadium. No one was more surprised at the victory than Collins, who had skipped tournaments in Silicon Valley and Toronto to allow herself time to recuperate from a neck injury. "I'm just really still kind of speechless in a way because I took the summer off," Collins said. "To kind of come out here, play a tough opponent first round, someone that's won two Grand Slams here, it's not easy." "Just really over the moon about being able to get through this first round because I don't think most players want to face Naomi in the first round." ALSO READ | US Open: Rafael Nadal rallies back to beat Rinky Hijikata in first round Former world number one Osaka, whose ranking has fallen to 44 after an inconsistent year, made a smooth start with an early break to take a 3-0 lead. But Collins battled back into the match and took the first set after winning a hard-fought tie-break. With both players producing some booming groundstrokes, the second set was a question of who would blink first. Collins put herself on the threshold of victory after breaking Osaka for a 5-3 lead in the eighth game. Osaka, 24, came within touching distance of securing the break of serve needed to keep the match alive after taking a 15-40 lead in the ninth game. But Collins rallied back to deuce and then seized victory on her first match point when Osaka hit a return long. Osaka later said she had been bothered by a niggling back problem. "I tried as hard as I could. I wanted to play without my back being in pain. I only really started serving two days ago," she said.

Naomi Osaka bows out of US Open first round, goes down in straight sets to Danielle Collins

Swiss maestro Roger Federer's last appearance came in Wimbledon 2021, where he bowed out of the showpiece event in the quarter-finals. Since then, the former World number one has been missing from action. Despite being out of action, Federer still hogs the headlines as he has been named the highest-paid tennis player for the 17th year in a row (since 2005), as revealed by Forbes.

The list continues to be headed by Argentina captain and Paris Saint Germain (PSG) Lionel Messi whereas the likes of LeBron James (2nd spot) Cristiano Ronaldo (3rd spot), Neymar (4th spot), Stephen Curry (5th spot) make the top-five. Here's the top ten of the highest-paid athletes:

1. Lionel Messi - $130 million

2. LeBron James - $121.2 million

3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $115 million

4. Neymar - $95 million

5. Stephen Curry - $92.8 million

6. Kevin Durant - $92.1 million

7. Roger Federer - $90.7 million

8. Canelo Alvarez - $90 million

9. Tom Brady - $83.9 million

10. Giannis Antetokounmpo - $80.9 million

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-brutally-axed-by-man-united-manager-erik-ten-hag-infront-of-entire-squad-report-510275">Cristiano Ronaldo brutally 'axed' by Man United manager Erik Ten Hag infront of entire squad: Report</a>

Talking about Federer, it is to be noted that the 20-time Grand Slam winner was out of action but still raked in an approximate $90 million before taxes and agents' fees over the last year to top the list among the tennis players, with the heavy amount coming in the form of "endorsements, appearances and other business endeavours". 
 
Among the female tennis players, Naomi Osaka (19th spot) and Serena Williams (31st position) are the top two. Soon-to-retire Williams&nbsp;earned a whopping $35.1 million this year, going past former men's number one&nbsp;Rafael Nadal ($31.4 million) and Novak Djokovic ($27.1 million). Among the top-ten tennis players, Emma Raducanu (sixth), Daniil Medvedev (seventh),&nbsp;Kei Nishikori,&nbsp;Venus Williams and&nbsp;Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz complete the top 10 respectively.

Overall, the top-50 list features Tiger Woods (14th spot), Lewis Hamilton (17th), Max Verstappen (21st), Phil Mickelson (joint-31st with Serena), Mohammad Salah (33rd), Frenchman Kylian Mbappe and Conor McGregor (35th), Jake Paul (46th).&nbsp;

Swiss maestro Roger Federer's last appearance came in Wimbledon 2021, where he bowed out of the showpiece event in the quarter-finals. Since then, the former World number one has been missing from action.

Swiss maestro Roger Federer's last appearance came in Wimbledon 2021, where he bowed out of the showpiece event in the quarter-finals. Since then, the former World number one has been missing from action. Despite being out of action, Federer still hogs the headlines as he has been named the highest-paid tennis player for the 17th year in a row (since 2005), as revealed by Forbes. The list continues to be headed by Argentina captain and Paris Saint Germain (PSG) Lionel Messi whereas the likes of LeBron James (2nd spot) Cristiano Ronaldo (3rd spot), Neymar (4th spot), Stephen Curry (5th spot) make the top-five. Here's the top ten of the highest-paid athletes: 1. Lionel Messi - $130 million 2. LeBron James - $121.2 million 3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $115 million 4. Neymar - $95 million 5. Stephen Curry - $92.8 million 6. Kevin Durant - $92.1 million 7. Roger Federer - $90.7 million 8. Canelo Alvarez - $90 million 9. Tom Brady - $83.9 million 10. Giannis Antetokounmpo - $80.9 million ALSO READ | Cristiano Ronaldo brutally 'axed' by Man United manager Erik Ten Hag infront of entire squad: Report Talking about Federer, it is to be noted that the 20-time Grand Slam winner was out of action but still raked in an approximate $90 million before taxes and agents' fees over the last year to top the list among the tennis players, with the heavy amount coming in the form of "endorsements, appearances and other business endeavours". Among the female tennis players, Naomi Osaka (19th spot) and Serena Williams (31st position) are the top two. Soon-to-retire Williams earned a whopping $35.1 million this year, going past former men's number one Rafael Nadal ($31.4 million) and Novak Djokovic ($27.1 million). Among the top-ten tennis players, Emma Raducanu (sixth), Daniil Medvedev (seventh), Kei Nishikori, Venus Williams and Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz complete the top 10 respectively. Overall, the top-50 list features Tiger Woods (14th spot), Lewis Hamilton (17th), Max Verstappen (21st), Phil Mickelson (joint-31st with Serena), Mohammad Salah (33rd), Frenchman Kylian Mbappe and Conor McGregor (35th), Jake Paul (46th).

Roger Federer highest-paid tennis player in Forbes' list of athletes with Lionel Messi at top

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her opening match at the WTA&nbsp;Toronto Masters on Tuesday due to lower back pain. With the US Open rapidly approaching, this has raised injury concerns. Osaka, who was playing in her second match since sustaining a left Achilles injury, quit in the first set of the US&nbsp;Open warm-up competition while trailing Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 7-6(4), 3-0.&nbsp;"I felt my back from the start of the match, and despite trying my best to push through it I just wasn't able to today," said Osaka. "I'd like to pay credit to Kaia for playing well and want to wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament."

Osaka took a medical break when she was down 4-3 in the first set. After that, she seemed to be playing a little better, breaking Kanepi twice when she was serving for the opening frame to force the tiebreaker.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thinking-too-much-about-24th-grand-slam-didnt-help-admits-superstar-serena-williams-505302" hreflang="en">Thinking too much about 24th Grand Slam didn't help, admits superstar Serena Williams</a>

During the changeover between sets, Osaka spent extra time working with the trainer before quickly falling behind in the second before deciding to end the match.

In her on-court interview, Kanepi, who will play eighth-seeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain in the second round, said, "It's very tough to see that she has to retire this way."

Emma Raducanu, the reigning US Open champion from Britain, was eliminated in the first round after losing to Camila Giorgi of Italy 7-6 (7/0), 6-2.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kiwi-pacer-trent-boult-steps-out-of-his-central-contract-fuels-retirement-talks-505361" hreflang="en">Kiwi pacer Trent Boult steps out of his central contract. Fuels retirement talks</a>

"It was a really good match, to be honest," Raducanu said. "The level was pretty high, especially in the first set.

"Camila's a great opponent. She won this tournament last year. I just need to get better at dealing with players who play probably as quick as she does "

Six breaks to serve were traded between the two players in the first set before Giorgi flipped a switch and easily won the tiebreak, which was over in a flash after a Raducanu double-fault.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her opening match at the WTA Toronto Masters on Tuesday due to lower back pain. With the US Open rapidly approaching, this has raised injury concerns.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her opening match at the WTA Toronto Masters on Tuesday due to lower back pain. With the US Open rapidly approaching, this has raised injury concerns. Osaka, who was playing in her second match since sustaining a left Achilles injury, quit in the first set of the US Open warm-up competition while trailing Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 7-6(4), 3-0. "I felt my back from the start of the match, and despite trying my best to push through it I just wasn't able to today," said Osaka. "I'd like to pay credit to Kaia for playing well and want to wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament." Osaka took a medical break when she was down 4-3 in the first set. After that, she seemed to be playing a little better, breaking Kanepi twice when she was serving for the opening frame to force the tiebreaker. Also read | Thinking too much about 24th Grand Slam didn't help, admits superstar Serena Williams During the changeover between sets, Osaka spent extra time working with the trainer before quickly falling behind in the second before deciding to end the match. In her on-court interview, Kanepi, who will play eighth-seeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain in the second round, said, "It's very tough to see that she has to retire this way." Emma Raducanu, the reigning US Open champion from Britain, was eliminated in the first round after losing to Camila Giorgi of Italy 7-6 (7/0), 6-2. Also read | Kiwi pacer Trent Boult steps out of his central contract. Fuels retirement talks "It was a really good match, to be honest," Raducanu said. "The level was pretty high, especially in the first set. "Camila's a great opponent. She won this tournament last year. I just need to get better at dealing with players who play probably as quick as she does " Six breaks to serve were traded between the two players in the first set before Giorgi flipped a switch and easily won the tiebreak, which was over in a flash after a Raducanu double-fault. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Osaka retires with back pain, Giorgi downs Raducanu in Toronto

American 18-year-old Coco Gauff found the poise to stall a fierce fightback from four-time major winner Naomi Osaka on Thursday, defeating the former world number one 6-4 6-4 to reach the Silicon Valley Classic quarter-finals.

It was the fourth meeting between Japan`s Osaka and Gauff, who finished runner-up in her maiden Grand Slam final at this year`s French Open, with the American levelling the head-to-head record at 2-2. 
Gauff did not allow a single opportunity on her serve in the opening set, with a sole break of Osaka`s delivery enough for the American to take it.

She dominated the twice Australian and U.S. Open champion in the second set to go 5-1, 40-0 up before the 24-year-old Osaka turned things around. Osaka saved four match points to hold serve and then broke Gauff, who committed two double faults, on her first opportunity in the eighth game.

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Osaka saved three more match points for her next service hold to narrow the deficit to 5-4 before Gauff converted her eighth match point with another big serve. "Even though I was up 5-1, 40-0 I knew I didn`t have the match in the bag yet and she proved that," Gauff said. "When you play Naomi she can play lights out tennis. I wasn`t too mad. I was just like, eventually it`ll calm down and if it doesn`t calm down then it`s probably not my day.

"The most proud was how I responded mentally. I could have easily folded in those couple of double-faults and match points that I lost. But I kept telling myself, `another point, another chance,` and then the music kind of helped on the bench. I was trying to sing along to the song to get me out of the match."

Next up for Gauff, who is third behind top-ranked Iga Swiatek and Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur in the Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard, will be second-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa. The WTA 500 tournament in San Jose, California lost its top seed on Thursday when world number three Maria Sakkari was beaten 6-1 6-3 by American Shelby Rogers.

American 18-year-old Coco Gauff found the poise to stall a fierce fightback from four-time major winner Naomi Osaka on Thursday, defeating the former world number one 6-4 6-4 to reach the Silicon Valley Classic quarter-finals.

American 18-year-old Coco Gauff found the poise to stall a fierce fightback from four-time major winner Naomi Osaka on Thursday, defeating the former world number one 6-4 6-4 to reach the Silicon Valley Classic quarter-finals. It was the fourth meeting between Japan`s Osaka and Gauff, who finished runner-up in her maiden Grand Slam final at this year`s French Open, with the American levelling the head-to-head record at 2-2. Gauff did not allow a single opportunity on her serve in the opening set, with a sole break of Osaka`s delivery enough for the American to take it. She dominated the twice Australian and U.S. Open champion in the second set to go 5-1, 40-0 up before the 24-year-old Osaka turned things around. Osaka saved four match points to hold serve and then broke Gauff, who committed two double faults, on her first opportunity in the eighth game. ALSO READ | World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev attains new milestone on winning return in Los Cabos Osaka saved three more match points for her next service hold to narrow the deficit to 5-4 before Gauff converted her eighth match point with another big serve. "Even though I was up 5-1, 40-0 I knew I didn`t have the match in the bag yet and she proved that," Gauff said. "When you play Naomi she can play lights out tennis. I wasn`t too mad. I was just like, eventually it`ll calm down and if it doesn`t calm down then it`s probably not my day. "The most proud was how I responded mentally. I could have easily folded in those couple of double-faults and match points that I lost. But I kept telling myself, `another point, another chance,` and then the music kind of helped on the bench. I was trying to sing along to the song to get me out of the match." Next up for Gauff, who is third behind top-ranked Iga Swiatek and Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur in the Race to the WTA Finals leaderboard, will be second-seeded Spaniard Paula Badosa. The WTA 500 tournament in San Jose, California lost its top seed on Thursday when world number three Maria Sakkari was beaten 6-1 6-3 by American Shelby Rogers.

Teen sensation Coco Gauff stalls fierce fightback from Naomi Osaka in San Jose

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka returned to action for the first time since May with a 6-4 3-6 6-1 win over Zheng Qinwen at the Silicon Valley Classic on Tuesday, setting up a mouth-watering clash against teenage American Coco Gauff.

Japan`s Osaka suffered a left Achilles injury in the lead-up to the French Open, where she lost in the opening round before pulling out of Wimbledon. The former world number one has her father back as coach after splitting with Wim Fissette and showed she has regained full fitness during her victory at the WTA 500 event in San Jose, California.

"My best friends are from here. So I`ve been to the campus and been to the class, on the side. I kind of feel like a local," Osaka, who has currently slipped down to 41 in the rankings, said on court. "It`s good to be back playing, I haven`t played since May. I didn`t realise that but somebody told me."

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Next up for Osaka, who won the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020, will be 18-year-old Gauff, who moved into the second round with a 6-1 6-0 thrashing of Ukraine`s Anhelina Kalinina. "What`s always impressed me about Coco is her mentality," Osaka, 24, said. "When I was her age, I would find myself getting frustrated and I would show it. I just think it`s really cool how she`s able to stay really neutral all the time.

"She`s been on the Tour for a while and I think people don`t know that because of how young she is. She`s improving every year, so I think there`s a lot that she`s learning and it`s only a matter of time before she wins a Slam." Gauff is ranked 11th in the world and made her maiden Grand Slam final in Paris this year. 
"Either way, win or lose, I think that the match is going to be great," the American said. 
"She`s such a champion, on and off the court, so I guess those are the type of people that you want to play, and I look forward to playing those matches."

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka returned to action for the first time since May with a 6-4 3-6 6-1 win over Zheng Qinwen at the Silicon Valley Classic on Tuesday, setting up a mouth-watering clash against teenage American Coco Gauff.

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka returned to action for the first time since May with a 6-4 3-6 6-1 win over Zheng Qinwen at the Silicon Valley Classic on Tuesday, setting up a mouth-watering clash against teenage American Coco Gauff. Japan`s Osaka suffered a left Achilles injury in the lead-up to the French Open, where she lost in the opening round before pulling out of Wimbledon. The former world number one has her father back as coach after splitting with Wim Fissette and showed she has regained full fitness during her victory at the WTA 500 event in San Jose, California. "My best friends are from here. So I`ve been to the campus and been to the class, on the side. I kind of feel like a local," Osaka, who has currently slipped down to 41 in the rankings, said on court. "It`s good to be back playing, I haven`t played since May. I didn`t realise that but somebody told me." ALSO READ | Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully passes away at 94 Next up for Osaka, who won the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020, will be 18-year-old Gauff, who moved into the second round with a 6-1 6-0 thrashing of Ukraine`s Anhelina Kalinina. "What`s always impressed me about Coco is her mentality," Osaka, 24, said. "When I was her age, I would find myself getting frustrated and I would show it. I just think it`s really cool how she`s able to stay really neutral all the time. "She`s been on the Tour for a while and I think people don`t know that because of how young she is. She`s improving every year, so I think there`s a lot that she`s learning and it`s only a matter of time before she wins a Slam." Gauff is ranked 11th in the world and made her maiden Grand Slam final in Paris this year. "Either way, win or lose, I think that the match is going to be great," the American said. "She`s such a champion, on and off the court, so I guess those are the type of people that you want to play, and I look forward to playing those matches."

Silicon Valley Classic: Naomi Osaka makes winning return, sets up mouth-watering clash vs Coco Gauff

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