Naomi Osaka learns who she will face in WTA Tour return
Naomi Osaka will make her WTA Tour return at the Brisbane International in a first round match against Tamara Korpatsch.
Currently ranked World No 84, Korpatsch won her maiden WTA singles title at the end of last season in Cluj-Napoca and is certainly no pushover.
Osaka, who won two of her four Grand Slam titles Down Under at the 2019 and 2021 Australian Opens, is determined to take things in her stride in this return to action, feeling that she has newfound strength from her experiences becoming a mother.
“Becoming a mum changed my mindset a lot. I think I’m a lot more open-minded, a lot more patient,” Osaka said.
“But, also, I feel a lot stronger. I don’t know physically, but I think Shai definitely helped me with the way I view things. I’m excited to be back. I haven’t worn headphones around the site since I’ve been back, so I think that’s character development.”
Osaka, will be contesting her first match on the WTA Tour since Tokyo 15 months ago. Her break from the game saw her give birth to her first child in July.
If Osaka wins her opening contest, she could move on to face another former World No 1, 16th-seeded Karolina Pliskova, in the second round.
No 3 seed Jelena Ostapenko could await that winner in the Round of 16 at the WTA 500 event.
Yet another former World No 1, No 8 seed, Victoria Azarenka, is on the other side of the same quarter.
Azarenka is hoping that Australia also continues to be good to her.
“I feel Australia in general, the people really love sports and follow. Tennis is a huge culture in Australia,” Azarenka said.
“Definitely a beautiful place to be. Yeah, I think the crowd will show up. I think that’s what we are here for, to play in front of fans, put a little bit of a show. I mean, that’s why I practise so hard. I still love to compete. I don’t love the travel or going from tournament to tournament, but I do love to compete, that feeling of going on the court in front of the crowd is what motivates me to keep going.”
As the top seed, Aryna Sabalenka is at the very top of the draw. Last year, Sabalenka got off to a fast start in Australia, winning in Adelaide and then two weeks later, at the Australian Open, claiming her maiden Grand Slam victory. In the second round, Sabalenka will match up against either Lucia Bronzetti or Ashlyn Krueger.
No 5 seed Daria Kasatkina, No 9 seed Magda Linette, No 15 seed Zhu Lin, and 2022 Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins are also in the first quarter.
The fourth seed Liudmila Samsonova leads the third quarter and may play 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the 2023 WTA Newcomer of the Year, in the second round. Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner and No. 14 seed, might also be waiting for her in the Round of 16.
Along with Czech teen Linda Noskova, No 7 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and No 10 seed Sorana Cirstea this quarter has some underrated talents. Noskova qualified as the 102nd-ranked player and made it to the 2023 Adelaide final a year ago.
Rybakina, the second seed, headlines the bottom half of the draw. The 2022 Wimbledon champion, who had advanced to the Australian Open final the previous year, will play a qualifier or Australian hope Kimberly Birrell in the second round.
Veronika Kudermetova, ranked as the sixth seed, is at the other end of the quarter. This quarter also includes 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens, who will play Katerina Siniakova in the opening round.
Queenslander Kim Birrell, who trains at the Queensland Tennis Centre when not on tour, hopes for a memorable run.
“(There are) so many memories,” Birrel said.
“I was here when the tournament was in its first year. I think I actually was able to play on Pat Rafter Arena like in between the night matches in the little Hot Shots (group). I think I was 11 years old … Just watching so many great matches over the years. Then getting to play in 2019 I had my first top 10 win (over Daria Kasatkina). That was really special, a moment I’ll never, ever forget.”
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