Naomi Osaka hasn’t played competitively since the US Open in September but has arrived in Melbourne for her return.
Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has landed in Melbourne ahead of her title defence as she prepares to end her four-month tour hiatus.
Osaka headlined the galaxy of tennis stars who lobbed into Sydney and Melbourne on charter flights on Tuesday, with tournaments to begin across the country this weekend.
Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley organised for 17 charter flights – a number that could end up higher – to transport players and support staff from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Los Angeles, Santiago, Tokyo and Singapore.
Alex Zverev and 2021 Australian Open semi-finalists Stefanos Tsitsipas and Aslan Karatsev were due to arrive in Sydney late on Tuesday night, while Matteo Berrettini and Coco Gauff came in earlier.
Zverev, Tsitsipas, Karatsev and Berrettini are representing their respective countries in the Sydney-based ATP Cup, with matches starting on Saturday.
Gauff caught another charter flight from Sydney to Adelaide for the WTA 500 tournament, which begins on Sunday and includes Australia’s world No.1 Ash Barty.
They will all be subject to Covid-19 tests and must isolate in their accommodation until they return a negative result.
Osaka tearfully announced after her third-round US Open defeat in September that she was taking an indefinite break from the sport to focus on her mental health.
The 24-year-old hasn’t been sighted on tour since but Melbourne has proven a happy hunting ground for her, including grand slam titles in 2019 and 2021.
“I feel like for me recently, when I win I don’t feel happy,” the former world No.1 said at the time.
“I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don’t think that’s normal.”
Osaka’s much-anticipated return to the court is a boost for the Australian Open given the likes of Karolina Pliskova, Serena Williams, Jennifer Brady, Karolina Muchova and Bianca Andreescu are out.
She is playing in one of the two WTA 250 events in Melbourne next week rather than the star-studded tournament in Adelaide but will still come up against top-20 opposition.
Joining the Japanese superstar in arriving on the charter flight from Los Angeles were Americans Mackenzie McDonald and Alison Riske, who reached the last 16 at last year’s Australian Open.
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