Sloane Stephens of the U.S. plays a shot in her match against Elise Mertens of Belgium during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, on Jan. 3, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
A loss didn’t bother Naomi Osaka at the Brisbane International as much as the missed opportunity for more matches ahead of the Australian Open.
The four-time major winner’s first tournament since becoming a mother ended in a 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 second-round loss Wednesday to three-time Brisbane International champion Karolina Pliskova.
Osaka won her first match at the elite level since late 2022 on Monday in straight sets against Tamara Korpatsch.
After that win, she said the birth in July of her daughter, Shai, and the changes to her mindset since becoming a mother had given her a better perspective on tennis.
A second-round encounter featuring two former No. 1-ranked players was a step up in tempo and a better indication of how Osaka’s preparations are going for the Australian Open, the year’s first Grand Slam event, starting Jan. 14 in Melbourne.
“The week is definitely shorter than I wanted it to be,” Osaka said. “I feel like I’m pretty good where I am right now. Even the last time I played her, I think I played better today.”
Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic hits a return during her women’s singles match against Naomi Osaka of Japan at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on January 3, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Osaka won the first set but Pliskova recovered and fired 16 aces and hit 50 winners, saving 10 of the 12 breakpoint chances she faced and making amends for her 11 double-faults.
“I saw the stats after and my break points could have been better,” Osaka said, “but I think other than that we both played really well … so hopefully she says the same thing!”
A former finalist at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open now ranked 39th, the 31-year-old Pliskova was playing for the first time since September after a left wrist injury curtailed her 2023 season.
“A lot of things to improve, but a good start,” said Pliskova, who had her left wrist and hand taped for the opening match of the day on Pat Rafter Arena.
She’ll next play third-seeded Jelena Ostapenko, who beat Camila Giorgi 6-1, 6-4.
Top seed and defending Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka had a 6-3, 6-0 win over Lucia Bronzetti and will face Zhu Li, a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7) winner over Danielle Collins, in the Round of 16.
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