Naomi Osaka’s Comeback: A Journey from Defeat to Victory

ROME — Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion, is navigating her comeback to tennis after giving birth. Unexpectedly struggling with first-round losses, she recently found herself competing in the tennis minor leagues to regain her form.

In late April, at the Madrid Open, Osaka lost her first match to Lucia Bronzetti of Italy, a player she had previously beaten. After three weeks of training on clay in southern France with her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, this defeat came as a significant blow for the former world No. 1. Osaka’s lack of competitive play due to prior injuries affected her performance.

With just over a week until the Italian Open, Osaka had to seek competition lower down the ranks. “We needed to solve some things in matches,” Mouratoglou said following her victory at a WTA 125 event in Saint Malo, France. There, Osaka had three matches and excellent practice leading up to the Italian Open.

“When we have a problem, we go straight to the problem and we solve it,” Mouratoglou added. He acknowledged that any result less than winning the tournament would be a disappointment. However, Osaka quickly rebounded to win her next six consecutive matches on clay and scored her first-round victory in Rome against Sara Errani.

“I just wanted to focus on the tennis,” Osaka said, noting her need for clay experience ahead of the French Open. “I’ve always told people that I’m OK, like, playing on Court 16 if I have to. The reason I came back wasn’t to play on center courts all the time; I enjoy the game.”

This return to form was reassuring for Osaka and her fans. Reflecting on her ups and downs since her comeback began, she said, “Obviously the results aren’t resulting right now, but I think I’m growing every tournament.”

In September, Osaka switched coaches from Wim Fissette, with whom she won two Grand Slam titles, to Mouratoglou, who previously guided Serena Williams. After experiencing further challenges, Osaka expressed doubts about her long-term presence in professional tennis without favorable results.

Despite those difficulties, Osaka’s decision to compete in lower-tier tournaments garnered respect among her peers. “Four-time Grand Slam champion going to play in Saint Malo. Respect,” fellow player Diane Parry remarked during an interview.

Osaka displayed her renewed confidence during her match against Errani. With powerful serves and precise baseline play, she dominated her opponent for most of the match, a stark contrast to her performance in Madrid, where she admitted, “Mentally I copped out.”

Realizing the importance of communication, Osaka worked with Mouratoglou to express her feelings ahead of matches to better prepare herself. In tight encounters, like her second-round match against Parry, she wrestled with doubts about her decisions.

“That definitely helped a lot,” Osaka said regarding her adjustments in mindset. “As a tennis player, as a tennis person, I care so much about winning that I don’t see the full picture sometimes.”

Osaka’s latest journey marks a significant improvement as she approaches the French Open. “I’m coming into it with a lot more wins,” she stated confidently.