Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka marked a successful return to competitive tennis after a 15-month hiatus, securing victory in her first match of the new season at the Brisbane International. 

Osaka defeated Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6 in the opening round.

Having not played since withdrawing from the Pan Pacific Trophy in September 2022 due to a knee injury and becoming a mother for the first time in July, the four-time Grand Slam champion displayed her prowess on the court. 

Osaka broke Korpatsch to love in the first game and comfortably secured the first set in 39 minutes without facing a break point.

While Osaka appeared on track for a routine victory, Korpatsch staged a comeback, leading to a tiebreak in the second set. Osaka eventually prevailed 11-9 on her third match point, sealing her return with a win.

Reflecting on her comeback, Osaka expressed gratitude to the fans, stating, “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.”

The former US Open and Australian Open champion acknowledged feeling nervous throughout the match and shared her excitement about playing on the courts where she once watched her role models.

Osaka is set to face Karolina Pliskova, another former world No. 1 and three-time Brisbane champion, in the second round.