DUBAI: Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka will return to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships five years since her last appearance in the competition.
After a 15-month break from competitive action for personal reasons, the four-time major champion made a comeback at the Brisbane International and Australian Open last month before appearing at both the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open and Qatar Open – where she has reached the round of 16.
Osaka, who gave birth to her first child while she was away from the court, joins an already star-studded line up for the Women’s Tennis Association Tour event – recently awarded permanent WTA 1000 status – with 17 of the world’s top 20 players in action.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, two-time Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka, and 2023 US Open winner Coco Gauff will feature alongside 26-year-old Osaka at the 24th edition of the WTA Tour tournament.
On Japanese player Osaka’s participation at the upcoming tournament, executive vice chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, Colm McLoughlin, said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Naomi back to Dubai for the latest installment of the WTA tournament, with many of the world’s best female players competing in the event.”
Osaka, a two-time winner at both the US Open and Australian Open, has spoken candidly about her mental health battles – most notably in an intimate and insightful Netflix documentary into her world.
Ranked a modest 48th in the world, Osaka then 20, reached the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2018 as a wildcard. It was after defeat to top seed Elina Svitolina that she took her first steps to stardom by winning the Indian Wells title, and just a few months later she stunned the tennis world with a historic victory over Serena Williams in the US Open final.
Joint chief operating officer of Dubai Duty Free and tournament director of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Salah Tahlak, said: “We’re delighted to have Naomi with us in Dubai for this year’s tournament.
“We have such a strong women’s line up this year, so having someone of Naomi’s pedigree and stature is even more good news.”
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