Naomi Osaka’s latest stop in 2024 comeback confirmed after wildcard announcement
Naomi Osaka will return to Toronto this summer after receiving a wildcard into the Canadian Open.
Osaka, a former world No 1 and four-time Grand Slam singles champion, has joined Canada’s Marina Stakusic in receiving a wildcard into the WTA 1000 event, which takes place from 4-12th August.
It will be the first time since 2022 that the Japanese star has played the event, having skipped the 2023 edition of the tournament due to the birth of her daughter the previous month.
She said: “I’m thrilled to be playing at the National Bank Open this year.
“The city of Toronto has an amazing energy and I can’t wait to be back there. I’m incredibly grateful for the wild card opportunity and look forward to playing in front of the passionate Canadian fans.”
It will be just the fifth time that Osaka has played the Canadian Open, having missed the event due to maternity leave 12 months ago, and withdrawing in 2021.
Osaka retired injured against Kaia Kanepi in Toronto two years ago but reached the last eight as the second seed back in 2019, defeating a then-unheralded Iga Swiatek before a loss to Serena Williams.
The 26-year-old will hope that a return to hard courts can kickstart her comeback, having had a mixed time of things across the clay and grass seasons across the spring and summer.
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The Japanese showed improvement on the clay but then suffered an agonising loss to Swiatek at Roland Garros, holding a match point and serving for the match in their round two contest.
Osaka then reached the last eight on the grass in ‘s-Hertogenbosch but was beaten heavily by Emma Navarro in the second round of Wimbledon.
However, there was enough across the clay and grass swings, and on hard earlier this season, to suggest the former world No 1 will be dangerous on her favourite surface throughout the remainder of the season.
Osaka has been one of the most successful hard-courters in recent years, winning US Open titles in 2018 and 2020, and Australian Open crowns in 2019 and 2021.
The Japanese will undoubtedly be in the conversation of title contenders at Flushing Meadows, and all eyes will be on where she plays before then.
She could play the Cincinnati Open after Toronto, and then potentially another smaller event the week before action in New York.
Before all that, Osaka is in Paris for the Olympic Games.
She will find out who she plays in her singles campaign when the draw is made on Thursday.
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