Former world number one Naomi Osaka makes winning return to action

Naomi Osaka made a winning return to tennis as she beat Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 7-6 in the first round of the Brisbane International.

The former world number one has not played since withdrawing from the Pan Pacific Trophy with a knee injury in September 2021. She became a mother for the first time in July.

Four-time grand slam champion Osaka returned to the court in style, breaking Korpatsch to love in the first game and did not face a break point as she clinched the first set in 39 minutes.

Great to have you back, @naomiosaka ☺️ pic.twitter.com/G7Xl4RQWzS

— wta (@WTA) January 1, 2024

Osaka looked set for a routine victory when she broke for a 5-3 lead in the second set, but Korpatsch fought back to take it into a tie break – Osaka winning 11-9 on her third match point.

“The last couple of years that I played before I had my daughter, I didn’t return as much love as I was given,” Osaka said on court after the match. “I feel like that’s what I want to do in this chapter.

“I just really appreciate people coming out and knowing me and cheering for me because I feel like there was a time I was just a little kid trying to watch my role models play.

“So it feels really surreal sometimes to be playing on these courts.”

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The former US Open and Australian Open will meet Karolina Pliskova, another former world number one and a three-time champion in Brisbane, in the second round.

Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has announced she is pregnant with her first child.

The 33-year-old Czech, who triumphed at the All England Club in 2011 and 2014, married her coach Jiri Vanek in July.

“On the first day of 2024 I wanted to wish you a happy new year and share the