Naomi Osaka hoping to bring fun factor back with father in her corner for Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic

Naomi Osaka is hoping to “genuinely have fun” as she aims to return to form this summer with her father back on her team. The former world No. 1 recently split with coach Wim Fissette after a two-year partnership that included two of Osaka’s four Grand Slam victories.

Ad/> Osaka is yet to hire a replacement and at this week's Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic is working with father Leonard Francois, who served as her primary coach until 2018. Tennis10 big questions for North American swing and US OpenYESTERDAY AT 08:13 Osaka, who has /> , hasn’t played since losing in the first round of the French Open in late May due to an Achilles injury. But the 24-year-old is excited to get back on court at this week's WTA 500 event in San Jose.

«I just would like to have fun and I know I say that very often, basically every tournament for the last year now, but to genuinely have fun,» she said ahead of her first-round match against Zheng Qinwen. 10 big questions for North American swing and US Open Ivanisevic: Zero hope of US rules changing for Djokovic «I was telling my dad literally this morning when we were practising in the rain, years ago we would have to fight to practice on public courts. It was just me and my sister and my dad alone.

»Now I've gotten to the point where people pay to watch me play, and for that I am very grateful. I would have never imagined that as a child. Just having fun and being grateful in the moment and trying to engage with everyone to the best of my abilities." Osaka has had a challenging 12 months and has struggled to find her best form since her withdrawal from the 2021 French Open due to mental health concerns.