New mom Naomi Osaka makes winning return to tennis | Brisbane International

Naomi Osaka made a winning return to tennis on Monday with her first victory at the elite level since becoming a mother in July, but it didn't come easy.

The former No. 1-ranked Osaka was broken while serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set and needed three match points before converting in the tiebreaker for a 6-3, 7-6 (9) victory over Tamara Korpatsch in the first round of the Brisbane International.

A two-time Australian and U.S. Open champion, Osaka pulled out of last year’s Australian Open in Melbourne before later revealing she was pregnant.

The U.S.-based Japanese player and her partner, rapper Cordae, became parents to daughter Shai in Los Angeles in July.

Osaka had only played one game since her first-round exit at the 2022 U.S. Open.

She was leading Daria Gavrilova 1-0 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September of that year before the Australian retired from the match with injury.