Naomi Osaka wins first match since September 2021

Naomi Osaka marked her return to competitive tennis, after a four-month break from the sport, with a win. At the first round of the Melbourne Summer Set, the Japanese superstar defeated Alize Cornet of France 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

The 24-year-old is the reigning Australian Open champion which is the first Grand Slam of 2022 and runs from 17-30 January. She took took an indefinite break from tennis after exiting the US Open in the third round back in September 2021.

"I actually really thought I wasn't going to play for most of this year [2022]," Osaka said according to the WTA at a news conference following the match.

"I'm really happy with myself that I love the sport that much because I literally said that I was unsure when I was going to play after the US Open and I'm here right now.

"In the break I was feeling like I didn't know what my future was going to be. I'm pretty sure a lot of people can relate to that. Of course you never know what the future holds, but it was definitely an indecisive time.

"But I'm really happy to be sitting here right now."

Naomi Osaka on her ‘one goal’ for 2022

Naomi Osaka’s 2021 started with a win at the Australian Open. But at the French Open she didn’t want to do news conference in order to protect her mental health. She pulled out of Wimbledon but made a return to represent Japan at the Olympics in Tokyo.

After a surprise early defeat in the third round of the US Open, the former world number one decided to take as long as she needed away from competitive action.

"I only really have one major goal this year, and it's completely unrelated to results and stuff like that. For me, I just want to feel like every time I step on the court I'm having fun. I can walk off the court knowing that even if I lost, I tried as hard as I could,” she said according to the WTA.

"Also, I have a goal in the pressroom, that I'm never going to cry again, so hopefully that works out in my favour.

"I'm the type of person that cared a little bit too much about the results and the ranking and stuff like that and I just need to find a way to enjoy the game again. Because that's the reason why I was playing in the first place."