Naomi Osaka plans to return on the court at the 2024 Australian Open

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka has confirmed that she plans to return to the court after giving birth to her child and is setting big goals not only for 2024 but for the rest of her competitive career.

The former world number one announced in January that she would miss the 2023 season as she is expecting her first child.

Naomi Osaka was firm in her intentions to participate in the Australian Open in early 2024 in an interview with Japanese media. The tennis player believes that she has enough time to prepare after giving birth.

“I will definitely perform well and be a better competitor than I was last year. My results only make me try to be the best version of myself possible. I will compete in Australia next year”, said Naomi Osaka. Asked if she was planning her comeback too soon, Osaka replied, “We’re expecting the baby in June or July, so then I’ll have August, September, October, November and December to prepare. I will be almost 6 months”.

Her absence from the tour has seen the Japanese drop to 314th in the world rankings and admits she struggled with her form before becoming pregnant.

Asked how many Grand Slam titles she wants to win, Naomi Osaka said she is aiming for eight trophies. So far, Naomi Osaka has won the Australian Open twice and the US Open twice.