Playing her first tennis match since becoming a mother, Naomi Osaka marked her return to competition with a hard-fought win on the opening day of the new year at the Brisbane International.
Facing off against Tamara Korpatsch of Germany in the first round, Osaka’s path to victory was laden with tension. Despite initially leading comfortably with a 6-3 advantage, she faced a stumbling block when broken while serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set. However, the four-time Grand Slam champion exhibited her mental fortitude, eventually clinching a 7-6(9) triumph after a grueling tiebreaker that demanded three match points.