It was the 2022 US Open. Four-time Grand Slam champion, Naomi Osaka was looking to find her lost mojo after a poor season that resulted in many early defeats for her. However, her torrid time continued as she went down fighting against Danielle Collins in straight sets in the opening round of the US Open. The following year, Osaka missed the tournament after giving birth to her first child. Two years after her last appearance at the US Open, the 26-year-old has finally made a much-awaited comeback to New York.

Naomi Osaka will be seen in action at the last Grand Slam tournament of the season which begins next week. Ranked 85th in the world, Osaka received a wild card entry into the main draw of the US Open this year. Earlier today, she began her preparations at Flushing Meadows and took to social media to share a glimpse of her training session.

The Japanese star shared a clip on her official TikTok handle in which she was seen playing a long rally in her first practice session at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I’ve missed you old friend,” Osaka wrote as she made a comeback after two years. She also got emotional on her comeback after her pregnancy hiatus and expressed her emotions on Threads, saying, “Just touched US Open grounds. This means so much to me, I could cry.”

Naomi Osaka is one of those players who have already reached Flushing Meadows, as her campaign in Cincinnati ended early. She lost in the second qualifying round there against Ashlyn Krueger. Despite not being in the best of form, Osaka is eager to put her best foot forward at the US Open.

Naomi Osaka: ‘Nothing in life is promised’

Following her comeback from maternity leave earlier this year, form hasn’t been on Osaka’s side. She has had early exits from the tournaments, with a quarterfinal finish at the Qatar Open being her best result in 2024. Nonetheless, Osaka is aiming to sign off her season on a high with a good outing in the upcoming US Open.

She said, “During this time, I’ve wondered what do I want out of this whole experience and I realized something. I love the process (though the process doesn’t love me sometimes haha), putting in work every day and eventually having the opportunity to get to where you want to be. Nothing in life is promised but I realized that I can promise myself to work as hard as I can and give it my best shot ’til the very end.”

A two-time champion in New York, it will be a monumental task for Naomi Osaka to repeat her victorious feat this year. However, she is a fighter on the court, and fans can expect her to give it her all in one of her favorite tournaments. How far do you think Osaka will go in the upcoming US Open? Let us know in the comments below.