Covered in a thin layer of nervousness, Naomi Osaka triumphantly made her comeback to the professional tennis circuit on Day 1 of the year. It wasn't an easy feat, but Osaka managed to check off two items on her list by securing a hard-fought victory in the first round of the Brisbane International. The former world No. 1-ranked player encountered some bumps along the way but ultimately emerged victorious with a 6-3, 7-6 (9) win over Germany's Tamara Korpatsch.
A two-time Australian and US Open champion, Osaka's journey took an unexpected turn when she withdrew from last year's Australian Open in Melbourne. Little did the tennis world know that Osaka was embarking on a different kind of challenge – motherhood. In July, she and her partner, rapper Cordae, welcomed their daughter Shai into the world in Los Angeles.
