- Naomi Osaka's first tournament since becoming a mother ended Tuesday evening
- She was defeated in Brisbane by three-time champion Karolina Pliskova
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Naomi Osaka's first tournament since becoming a mother ended in a 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 second-round defeat to three-time champion Karolina Pliskova at the Brisbane International on Tuesday night.
Osaka, who has won the Australian Open and US Open singles titles twice, won her first match at the elite level since late 2022 in straight sets against Tamara Korpatsch on Monday.
After that win, she said the July birth of her daughter Shai and the changes in her mindset since becoming a mother had given her a better perspective on tennis.
A second-round meeting with two former No. 1 players was a step up in pace and a better indication of how Osaka's preparations are going for the Australian Open starting Jan. 14 in Melbourne.
“The week is definitely shorter than I wanted,” Osaka said at a news conference. 'Overall I thought it was a great match and I had a lot of fun.
Naomi Osaka's first tournament since becoming a mother ended in a second-round defeat
She suffered a 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 loss in the second round to three-time champion Karolina Pliskova
“I've trained so hard since giving birth, I have to enjoy these moments.”
Osaka won the first set, but Pliskova recovered to fire 16 aces and hit 50 winners, saving 10 of the 12 break point chances she faced and making up for her 11 double faults.
“I saw the stats afterward and my breakpoints could have been better,” Osaka said.
“But other than that I think we both played really well… so hopefully she says the same!”
The 31-year-old Pliskova, a former finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open and now ranked 39th, was playing for the first time since September after a left wrist injury curtailed her 2023 season.
Osaka will focus on preparing for the Australian Open, which starts on January 14 in Melbourne
“There's still a lot to improve on, but a good start” to the season, said Pliskova, who had her left wrist and hand taped for the day's opening match at Pat Rafter Arena.
Top seed and defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka had a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Italy's Lucia Bronzetti in the next match.
Second seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, was scheduled to meet Olivia Gadecki in a night match.
Osaka's next match will be an exhibition in Melbourne next week on Rod Laver Arena, the main court of the Australian Open.