Naomi Osaka set for tennis return as warning fired to Raducanu, Swiatek and co
Naomi Osaka has been tipped to get again to the highest of tennis when she makes her return from being pregnant. The four-time Grand Slam champion not too long ago gave beginning to her first baby and is plotting a comeback subsequent yr. And Rick Macci believes that Osaka can choose up the place she left off in a warning to the remainder of the tour.
Osaka has been sidelined from competitors for nearly a yr, along with her final match coming in Tokyo final September. There was hypothesis over the 25-year-old’s absence within the months that adopted earlier than she introduced that she was pregnant and was already planning to return to tennis on the 2024 Australian Open.
Two new mums have already returned to tennis since then, with Elina Svitolina coming again in April following her daughter’s beginning in October. Caroline Wozniacki additionally got here out of retirement final week, having had two youngsters throughout her three-and-a-half years away from the game.
But famend tennis coach Macci thinks Osaka may very well be much more harmful when she does return to competitors – dangerous news for high stars like Iga Swiatek and injured gamers additionally trying to come again like Emma Raducanu. “I know when you disappear from the pro tour and you go have a baby, everybody writes you off,” he informed Tennis Infinity.
“But listen, Osaka has four Grand Slams in her back pocket, you know, and she has firepower. She has a great serve, she’s solid off the ground, great athlete, good calming skills.”
Macci additionally tipped Osaka to comply with within the footsteps of tennis legend Jennifer Capriati, who burst onto the scene aged simply 13 again in 1990 however, 5 years later, burned out and took a break. She made a triumphant return, happening to carry three Grand Slam titles and attain No 1 on this planet from 2001 to 2002.
“I bring this up all the time and it reminds me of one of my favorite students of all time. Jennifer Capriati. You know, she disappeared off the face of the earth, went off the tour, okay? Even saw it kind of in the movie King Richard,” Macci mentioned, referencing the film in regards to the Williams sisters and their dad.
“I wish they’d have presented it the way it really happened. ’cause she not only came back on the tour. Not to number 50 or 30 or 20 or 10. Number 1, three Grand Slams, Olympic gold, big contract from Fila. She came all the way back.”
While it was a distinct scenario for Osaka, who as a substitute took a break to present beginning, Macci mentioned the precept was the identical. He added: “So listen, you don’t lose the talent and you don’t lose the ability. You lose a little bit of the confidence and the fitness.
“So listen, it’s not gonna happen this year, but I’m predicting by the end of 2024 I if her, if she’s hungry, because I know she believes, Osaka will go right back in the top 10 because she has enough firepower to play through you.”