Naomi Osaka Set to Compete in Saint-Malo After Long Hiatus

SAINT-MALO, France — Naomi Osaka is returning to the tennis court by accepting a wild card to play in the L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo, which begins on Monday. This will be her first WTA 125 tournament in a decade, showcasing her determination to regain competitive form after significant time off.

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, will face 19-year-old Petra Marcinko from Croatia in the first round. If she advances, she is projected to meet No. 6 seed Olivia Gadecki in the quarterfinals and No. 4 seed Caroline Dolehide in the semifinals. In this year’s Saint-Malo draw, the top-seeded player is McCartney Kessler, while notable names like Viktorija Golubic and rising French star Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah are also in the mix.

This season, Osaka has posted a 9-5 match record, but she has struggled since her return from an abdominal injury earlier in the year. Following her first-round exit at the WTA 1000 Mutua Madrid Open, she expressed optimism about her training in France, stating that she feels stronger and ready to compete.

The former World No. 1 made headlines when she announced her participation via social media, aiming to ‘make some noise’ upon her return. The tournament has attracted other notable players as well, including former major champion Bianca Andreescu, who is set to contest No. 4 seed Kimberly Birrell in her first match.

In Saint-Malo, Osaka is seeded No. 2 and will be looking to gain momentum ahead of future tournaments. The event has seen past champions like Beatriz Haddad Maia and Sloane Stephens since its upgrade to WTA 125 status in 2021. Osaka last participated in a WTA 125 tournament in 2015, where she was a runner-up after rising to prominence.

As the tournament kicks off, fans and analysts alike are eager to see if Osaka can harness her previous success and reclaim her place among the sport’s elite.