Naomi Osaka intends to play 'way more tournaments' as she targets Australian Open return after giving birth
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Published 06/09/2023 at 22:42 GMT
Four-time Grand Slam winnner and former world No.1 Naomi Osaka has revealed that she plans to return to tennis in January 2024 at next year's Australian Open. She hopes for a busy schedule to make sure she can rediscover her best form and get used to the level of play after taking time away to improve her mental health, and to have her first child.
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Naomi Osaka says she intends to return for the 2024 Australian Open and is planning to compete at "way more tournaments than I used to play".
Osaka cut down her schedule over the last couple of seasons before announcing earlier this year that she was pregnant.
The former world No. 1 gave birth in July, and this week was speaking at a mental health forum at the US Open, where she won two of her four Grand Slam titles.
"For me coming back here, it means a lot. This room, in particular. There were some tears shed. A lot," said Osaka, who has opened up about her mental health struggles over the last few years.
“I feel a lot of joy coming back here. It’s kind of like seeing an old friend I haven’t seen in a long time.”
Osaka hasn't competed on tour since September 2022, shortly after she lost in the first round of the US Open.
She explained: “It’s definitely been really interesting. The whole process. It felt long and short at the same time.
"When I stepped away...I just remember watching the Australian Open and being very devastated, because I’ve never missed an Australian Open.
“I was just thinking when I was watching Serena and Venus (Williams), I was thinking, ‘I probably, no way, will ever play at their age.’ But sitting here, I’m like, ‘No, you know what? I might do that.’”
She added that time away from tennis has “really raised my love for the sport and it made me realise I’m not going to play forever. I have to embrace the times. I’ve been playing tennis since I was three.
“I don’t think I can predict what I’ll do - I never am able to do that - but it definitely made me appreciate a lot of things that I took for granted.”
Speaking to ESPN about her return, Osaka said she is planning to play "way more tournaments than I used to play. Some people will be happy about that.
"I think it's because I don't know how the beginning of the year is going to go for me.
"I think I don't know the level of play, so I have to ease in for it, so I have to set myself up for a very good end of year."
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