Naomi Osaka bounced back from her loss in Abu Dhabi by defeating Caroline Garcia at the Qatar Open in Doha. The victory was sweet for Osaka as Garcia had knocked her out in the first round of the Australian Open last month. Osaka, a former world number one and four-time Grand Slam winner from Japan, is making a comeback after taking a 15-month break for maternity leave.
Osaka expressed her satisfaction with her performance, stating that she feels like a better player now compared to her time in Australia. She admitted that returning to form after pregnancy was tough, but she’s beginning to find her stride again. She described the journey of coming back physically after giving birth as challenging but ultimately rewarding, as it helped her learn to love herself and appreciate her body’s strength.
The next challenge for Osaka on her comeback trail is a second-round match with Petra Martic of Croatia. This match comes a decade after their first encounter, where Osaka emerged victorious as a 16-year-old in a qualifying match at Stanford in 2014.
Despite a shaky start where Garcia won her first 11 service points, Osaka managed to turn the tide, breaking Garcia’s serve to level the set at 5-5. She then secured the set and the match with a love break in the final game. Garcia acknowledged Osaka’s precision and effectiveness, admitting that Osaka was the better player on the day.
Meanwhile, two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek began her quest for a third straight title with a dominant win over Sorana Cirstea. Swiatek expressed satisfaction with her performance, highlighting her ability to maintain focus throughout the match.
Also advancing in the tournament was sixth seed Marketa Vondrousova, who secured a hard-fought victory over Greet Minnen. Vondrousova’s match was marked by a fluctuating performance, with a strong start, a falter in the second set, and a comeback to win the third set.