Naomi Osaka upbeat regardless of first-round Aussie Open loss

MELBOURNE, Australia — There might not have been a better cheer over the primary two days of Australian Open play than the one which reverberated round Rod Laver Area as Naomi Osaka was warmly welcomed again into the cauldron of Grand Slam competitors from an 18-month maternity break.

The capability crowd rose to its ft in anticipation as a steely confronted Osaka strode by the stroll of champions, headphones on and glowing inside a shiny gold jacket. As she handed by her personal banner, which displayed her 2019 and 2021 Melbourne Park triumphs, she reached out along with her left palm and gently grazed it, maybe for good luck.

Then got here the introduction over the PA system and the following roar. Osaka was again.

The previous world No. 1’s return to main tennis — Osaka made her official comeback earlier this month on the Brisbane Worldwide — might have been spoiled by sixteenth seed Caroline Garcia, who prevailed 6-4, 7-6 (2), nevertheless it proved simply how a lot she means to the game. The gang rallied behind her from the opening level proper up till she fluffed an tried crosscourt backhand to stave off the primary of what would have been 4 Garcia match factors.

There is no doubt Osaka was rusty. She struggled along with her serve and was unable to discover a constant rhythm within the baseline scraps, dumping some balls midway up the online and others 6 ft previous the baseline. At occasions she seemed towards the night time sky, seemingly dumbfounded with how she was taking part in. However that was all to be anticipated from somebody who has modified extra diapers within the final six months than performed units of tennis.

“I felt like I did one of the best that I may probably do. It was simply very nice to be on Rod Laver once more, hear the viewers, how a lot they interacted with the match,” Osaka mentioned after the defeat. “I’ve to inform myself, ‘Hey, like six months in the past you have been pregnant,’ stuff like that. In fact, there is a voice in my head that’s, ‘Who’re you to assume you possibly can come again and instantly begin successful matches?'”

What was encouraging in regards to the Osaka efficiency was her constructive method and willingness to swing freely all through even when she later admitted to feeling “hesitant” on the courtroom. The health and finesse will return with extra matches beneath her belt, however that mindset is one thing certain to carry her in good stead as she prepares to deal with her first full season since 2019. And that is precisely what each tennis stakeholder might be hoping for.

IT’S NO SECRET that tennis has desperately missed Osaka. Her absence from the tour got here at a time when the game was navigating maybe its most tough interval, transitioning from an icon-laden period to a brand new chapter stuffed with unknowns.

It was throughout the Osaka hiatus that maybe the best feminine tennis participant ever, Serena Williams, performed her closing match. The departure of the 23-time Slam champion was inevitable, and it left a gaping gap in not solely the ladies’s sport, however tennis on the whole. The void was much more stark given Williams’ retirement got here not 12 months after Roger Federer, arguably probably the most universally adored participant in historical past, had referred to as time on his illustrious profession. In what appeared a blink of an eye fixed, two champions, and two professional GOAT candidates, have been gone.

However the present tennis void goes far past simply Williams and Federer. Rafael Nadal missed simply in regards to the entirety of the 2023 season with a hip flexor harm, and his tried comeback this month sadly stalled when he reinjured himself on the Brisbane Worldwide, forcing him to withdraw from the Australian Open. Given Nadal has already hinted at this 12 months’s Olympic Video games in Paris as a possible farewell occasion, alternatives to benefit from the Spanish star are rapidly dwindling.

Nick Kyrgios might be polarizing, however there is no denying he is field workplace leisure and one of many sport’s most recognizable names. The 28-year-old Australian did not play a aggressive level throughout Osaka’s maternity depart, as he continues to take care of a nagging wrist harm. There’s nonetheless no clear timetable on his return.

In actual fact, the one fixed amongst tennis’ A-listers has been Novak Djokovic, who continues to rack up main titles and improve his legacy. However even Djokovic, 36, cannot proceed to defy Father Time ceaselessly, and he have to be at the least pondering when he begins his farewell tour.

Tennis wants Osaka now greater than ever. The game is crying out for a contemporary crop of faces to paved the way into what’s been looming as a frightening new period for fairly a while. And whereas Osaka, now 26, is not precisely an up-and-comer, she’s the right candidate to steer the cost and take the baton from that golden era.

“I’ve taken quite a lot of breaks all through the years … I believe this one was the one which lastly clicked in my head,” Osaka mentioned in Melbourne. “I believe I spotted, like, being an athlete, that point is basically treasured. I by no means took that as a right earlier than [but] I used to be younger and I felt like I may type of roll again into it every time I wanted to.

“I assume after having Shai, type of going by the battle of attempting to get myself again to the place I wish to be, it was extremely robust. I’ve a way more constructive mindset and a way more grateful mindset.”

Osaka burst onto the scene on the Australian Open in 2018, defeating hometown hero Ashleigh Barty en path to the fourth spherical of the event. By August, she was a significant champion, having crushed Williams for the US Open crown. And whereas that match was marred by controversy, it offered a launchpad to superstardom and a stage of recognition nearly unrivalled in tennis.

The common adoration for Osaka gained extra traction after she spoke candidly about her struggles with psychological well being and opted to take time away from the tour throughout the 2021 season. There’s one thing about her vulnerability and soft-spoken humble demeanor that has made her such a relatable determine; as relatable as a multimillion-dollar star athlete can really feel to the typical particular person.

Osaka is certainly the best draw and needle mover on the ladies’s aspect of the sport. She’s additionally certainly one of tennis’ most marketable figures, resonating all around the globe, significantly in the USA and Asia.

The reception she acquired at Melbourne Park on Monday night solely highlighted simply how a lot she has been missed by the complete tennis world, and the way essential it’s for her to assist steer the game by the approaching years.