Naomi Osaka will make her return to Grand Slam motion at this month’s Australian Open and she or he has a burning need to win tennis majors once more. The former World No.1 has triumphed at Melbourne Park on two events and likewise owns two US Open titles.

Osaka has performed simply two matches since September 2022 and has not competed in a serious since Danielle Collins defeated her at Flushing Meadows in the identical 12 months. But simply six months after giving birth to her baby daughter Shai, the 27-year-old returned on the Brisbane International, the place she was crushed by Karolína Plíšková.

Despite the challenges that lie forward, the Japanese star is relishing the chance to play in one other Grand Slam and she or he despatched a strong message to her biggest rivals comparable to Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff. “I don’t want to put pressure on myself, but I do think I can win a slam this year,” Osaka told Tennis Majors.

“It’s a long season and I’ve beefed up my schedule with more tournaments to give myself more match play. I think that I’ll be in a great place come summer hard court swing.” Osaka is unseeded on the Australian Open and can show to be a tricky take a look at for among the prime gamers early within the event.

She will open her marketing campaign in opposition to Caroline Garcia, which is predicted to be a compelling contest between two of the sport’s strongest hitters. The likes of French Open winner Swiatek and US Open champion Gauff, are aiming for his or her maiden Australian Open title.

Gauff, the world No. 3 will begin her marketing campaign in opposition to Slovakian participant Anna Karolína Schmiedlová whereas Swiatek has a tough opening encounter in opposition to former Australian champion Sofia Kenin. Osaka needs to put down a marker for the remainder of the tour as early as potential, and former world quantity 7 and presenter Barbara Schett expects her to make a giant assertion in Melbourne.

"When I watched her, she's just going to get better and better. And she's one of those women coming back from pregnancy who has the power, and the power is good in women's tennis nowadays," the Austrian stated on Eurosport.

"So I think if she stays fit and healthy, and she hangs in there as well after a few losses probably we have to give her a little bit of time she can definitely do some big damage again in the future."

Not solely is Osaka decided to achieve extra success in tennis for herself, however extra so for her baby. She says parenthood has broadened her perspective and she or he needs her daughter to develop up and see what she was in a position to obtain on the court docket.

“Giving birth was the most painful experience of my life and it showed me that I can handle so much more physically than I ever thought,” Osaka added. “I know that I have several more slams in me and I want my daughter to see me play and win. That’s really important to me.”