This Wednesday (3), Naomi Osaka lost the second match of her comeback at the Brisbane International.
++Everton midfielder Dele Alli announces injury setback
Osaka faced Czech Karolina Pliskova, another former world number one. She won 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 in the Pat Rafter Arena. This was the first tournament for 15 months for Osaka, since she gave birth to her daughter, Shai, in July.
++Birmingham City sack manager Wayne Rooney after 15 games in charge
“The week is shorter than I wanted it to be, but it was a great match and I had fun. I think I relearned that – this is my opinion – but I think I have a lot of heart. I think when I’m playing and I’m at my best, I’m just really putting my entire soul into every point”, said the Japanese.
In the match, Pliskova won just one point more than Osaka, in a tight game in which she saved 10 of the 12 breakpoints that the four-time Grand Slam champion created. With the loss, Osaka was eliminated from the second round of the WTA 500 in Brisbane.
The two-time Australian Open champion now heads to Melbourne, where she will open a week of charity matches on Tuesday (4) at Rod Laver Arena, as a backdrop to the first Grand Slam of the year.