Naomi Osaka‘s making a triumphant return. Her year got off to a promising start when she reached the final of the Auckland WTA tournament in January – her first final since returning from maternity leave 12 months ago. But after winning the first set 6-4 against Clara Tauson, Osaka was forced to retire because of an abdominal injury. Days later, after a strong showing in the Australian Open, where she bested France’s Caroline Garcia in three sets and then Karolína Muchova, Osaka was again forced to retire injured from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic. Now she’s finally finding her groove at the Miami Open. What’s pushing this former World No.1?

The Miami Open, known as the second tournament of the Sunshine double or for Osaka – where home court advantage meets determination. She faced off against Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva in a nail-biter that had fans on the edge of their seats. After dropping the first five games, Osaka clawed her way back, turning the tables in a marathon match that lasted two hours and 28 minutes. How did she pull this off? “I consider Miami my home. I wanted to stay on court as long as possible. They kept me going and I’m glad I won,” she said in her post-match interview.

Down 4-2 in the second set after losing the first, Osaka fired 10 aces to turn the match around and dominated the third set, sealing a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win. The four-time Grand Slam champion credited her mother, Tamaki, who was present in the stands, for boosting her confidence. “My mom is here. I’m spending a lot of time with her and my daughter. I’m just happy to keep going here,” Osaka added. With Miami feeling like her U.S. home, she’s launched her bid for a first title in the city with renewed energy and focus.

Previously, Osaka was runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2022 in her best Miami Open finish. However, since then she’s been on maternity leave. In 2024 Miami open campaign, she made it to the third round before being ousted by Caroline Garcia. Now she’ll be facing Liudmila Samsonova in the next round on Thursday, March 20.

This victory comes after her tough first-round loss at the Indian Wells Open, which was her first appearance since the Australian Open in January. Making it even more sweeter. Now Osaka is ready to take on the “big dogs” in Miami.

Osaka is ready to bring the heat to Miami after recovering from injury woes

Naomi Osaka’s comeback trail has been a rollercoaster ride! After a disappointing exit at Indian Wells, where she described her performance as the “worst match I’ve ever played in my life,” the four-time Grand Slam champ bounced back with a vengeance at the Miami Open. On March 18, Osaka clawed her way to victory against Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva in a nail-biting 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 thriller.

The 27-year-old tennis star, fresh off maternity leave and battling injuries, showed she’s still got the fire. “I want to play with the big dogs so bad and I just see everyone playing so well and I want to do the same,” Osaka declared after her epic two-and-a-half-hour match. Osaka’s new strategy? “I was going to run into every corner if I had to,” she grinned, showcasing her renewed determination.

But her journey isn’t just about tennis – it’s about growth. “What I’ve learned about myself is that I’m patiently impatient,” she explained to CNN back in February. The new mom is seeing the bigger picture, balancing her competitive spirit with patience learned from caring for her daughter, Shai. “Becoming a mom, I’ve learned to become a lot more patient and sort of understand that I can’t control everything, but I can only do my best in certain situations and hope that the outcome is positive, but if not, then there’s always another day,” she added.

Now with her eyes set on making it back to the top, Osaka’s Miami Open performance hints at an exciting comeback. Will she go all the way? We’d love to hear your thoughts!