“Wish I could have done better,” New mum Naomi Osaka hints at one major regret after her 2024 Australian Open comeback stint

Naomi Osaka won her first match in Qatar after disappointing Australian Open exit.

“Wish I could have done better,” New mum Naomi Osaka hints at one major regret after her 2024 Australian Open comeback stint

Naomi Osaka (via Imago)

Naomi Osaka, one of the most gifted players in tennis, has marked her presence in the sport with four Grand Slam wins. Creating history at the age of 20, the Japanese star went on to become World No.1 before losing her touch in the sport. 

Osaka made a comeback in tennis after being sidelined for almost a year due to pregnancy. She made a comeback at the Brisbane International but faced an early exit in her second match. The Australian Open also did not go any better for the 2-time champion of the tournament, who suffered a devastating first-round defeat. 

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She was up against former WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia in the first round. Despite putting up a valiant effort to stay her ground, Osaka lost the game and saw herself out of the Australian Open earlier than expected. Recently, she revisited her thoughts after the loss in Australia and hinted at her major regret. 

The Australia trip was hard as it was my first trip without her (daughter Shai). I also felt a bit sad at the end as I didn’t think I made the time worth it. Being away from her, I wish I could have done better. But I feel that having her was the biggest blessing in my life. It’s incredible to see her grow every day and learn. Hopefully she’ll be happy to have me as a mum
Osaka via BNN Bloomberg

Despite her loss, the Japanese pro is confident in her skillset and is hoping to play more wins and get a few wins to build her confidence level. With the top 10 in her mind, the 4-time Grand Slam champion eyes the Wimbledon and French Open to get her best result. 

Naomi Osaka gets a fruitful revenge after a thumping win against Caroline Garcia in Qatar

New mum Naomi Osaka is back on tour after giving birth to her first child, Shai. After the Australian Open defeat, Osaka hasn’t had great luck in the other tournaments as well.

Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka (Via Imago)

She played the Abu Dhabi Open to gain some form but faced another first-round defeat. Following that, she also lost her first doubles match of the season. Having not won a single match since the Australian Open, the 26-year-old entered the Qatar Open to end up against Caroline Garcia, who had previously handed her a defeat in Melbourne. 

Short of a much-needed win, Osaka played great tennis against the No.15 seed to pull off a great victory. Despite not being there on first serve wins, Osaka won the match 7-5, 6-4 to complete her revenge and register a much-needed win. With this, she advanced to the second round of the Qatar Open in hopes of running deep. 

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