Naomi Osaka is back where she won two of her four major singles titles. And the old no World 1 is feeling good vibes after taking time out to try and regain love for his sport.
The Australian Open champion began her 2022 season with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Alizé Cornet on Tuesday in one of the “Summer Set” tournaments in Melbourne.
Osaka stepped onto Rod Laver Arena center court for the first time since winning the Australian Open title in February. It was also her first game at a WTA Tour since her loss in the US Open in the third round to Laval’s Leylah Annie Fernandez in September.
After the loss, Osaka said: “Honestly, I don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match. “
She took leave earlier last year, a hiatus for her mental health that began when she pulled out of Roland Garros ahead of her second-round match. She was also absent from Wimbledon, then returned for the Tokyo Olympics, where she lit the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony.
Osaka said she made a priority goal this year, and that was to have fun playing.
“I’m the kind of person who cares a little too much about results and standings and I have to find a way to enjoy the game again because that’s why I started this sport in the beginning,” he said. she said.
After taking time out with her friends and family, she added that she has slowly started to find love for the game again.
“It’s not like it’s completely gone, but it was overshadowed by a lot of the emotions I got from playing consistently year after year,” noted Osaka.
Osaka led by a set and a break before Cornet started a winning streak of five to force a third set. Osaka featured at just 38 percent efficiency (31 in 81) with her first serve, she committed eight double faults and 57 unforced errors, but countered that with 51 winning strokes. She only faced three breakage bullets.
“I feel like I made a lot of unforced errors today,” admitted the first seed, “but I expected that because it’s the first game and I was really nervous. “
Travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic mean there is a busy schedule of events before the Australian Open begins on January 17.
Three events are taking place this week in Melbourne as part of Tennis Australia’s summer tournaments: two WTA tournaments and one from ATP. In Adelaide, there is a joint ATP and WTA tournament this week. And the ATP Cup takes place in Sydney.
Jessica Pegula, the first seed of the other women’s tournament in Melbourne, lost to Irina-Camelia Begu 7-6 (6), 6-3 in the first round.
Pegula, who reached the quarter-finals at last year’s Australian Open, was leading 5-3 and holding an end point before Begu made a comeback to finally win.
In the men’s tournament in Melbourne, Facundo Bagnis defeated the former no 1 Andy Murray 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, saving 11 of 13 breakage balls. He will now face Grigor Dimitrov, no 3. Murray, a five-time Australian Open finalist, has received an invitation to play the first major tournament of the season.
In Adelaide, 2020 Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek began her title defense with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Daria Saville, known as Daria Gavrilova before her recent marriage. The Polish meet Fernandez in the second round.
Previously, American Coco Gauff got the better of Norwegian Ulrikke Eikeri 6-2, 6-1 and she will face the second round to 2020 Australian Open champion Ashleigh Barty. Sofia Kenin defeated Lucia Bronzetti 7-5, 7-5, and Anastasia Gasanova defeated Elina Svitolina 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.