WATCH: Naomi Osaka calls herself ’embarrassing’ following a failed return in practice as she looks to make her comeback in 2024 

Naomi Osaka last played at the Japan Open in 2022.

WATCH: Naomi Osaka calls herself ’embarrassing’ following a failed return in practice as she looks to make her comeback in 2024 

Naomi Osaka is back on the court (Images via X)

Japanese ace Naomi Osaka who has been absent from the tour for a long time now and eyeing a comeback embarrassed herself as she failed to return a shot while practicing on the court. Osaka, who recently became a mother, is expected to make a comeback on the tour next season. 

The Japanese ace has dropped several hints and the latest video shared by her was one of them. Osaka shared a small clip where she failed to make a return and captioned the post “embarrassing fr”. 

YouTube video

The Japanese ace looks stunned after missing the shot as she stops for a while before going to pick the ball up. However, in another clip shared by the Australian Open on its social media, Osaka is seen nailing four forehand shots on the trot. 

FS Video

Also Read: Paula Badosa and Tennys Sandgren voice support to Portuguese player Gastao Elias who demands ATP to pay for his physiotherapy for low-quality balls that are causing injuries 

What has Naomi Osaka said about her comeback? 

Naomi Osaka has been absent from the tour for more than twelve months. She last played at her home tournament, the Toray Pan Pacific Open in September 2022. She stepped away from the game in January and gave birth to her daughter, Shai, in July. The fans have been restless to see Osaka dominating her opponents on the court. 

Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka (Image via People magazine)

The Japanese also know it and hence Osaka has already planned her comeback, in 2024. The 25-year-old will return on the tour with the Australian Open in January next year. Osaka assured her fans that she will be playing in more and more tournaments and expects to get into her zone by the end of the year. 

“It’s definitely way more tournaments than I used to play,” Osaka told ESPN. “So, I think some people will be happy with that. I think it’s because I realized that I don’t know how the beginning of the year is going to go for me. I don’t know the level of play and I think I have to ease into it. So at the very least, I’m going to set myself up for a very good end of the year,” Osaka said (via ESPN).

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