Watch: Naomi Osaka trains ahead of the Australian Open
With the 2022 season just a few weeks away, Naomi Osaka was seen training for the upcoming season. The former World No. 1 was practicing in Los Angeles with Martin Redlicki, a UCLA collegiate tennis player.
Osaka is the defending champion at the Australian Open, where she won her fourth Grand Slam title after defeating first-time finalist Jennifer Brady in the title clash.
She also saved a couple of match points in her fourth-round encounter against Garbine Muguruza, becoming the eighth woman to win the title after saving match points at the Australian Open in the Open Era.
Naomi Osaka back on the practice courts in LA. Hitting with UCLA collegiate tennis player Martin Redlicki
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Her 2021 triumph was also her second at the Australian Open, having won previously in 2019, defeating Petra Kvitova in the final. Naomi Osaka features on the initial entry list for the 2022 Australian Open, officially signaling an end to her hiatus.
The 24-year old decided to take a break from tennis following her third-round exit to eventual finalist Leylah Fernandez at this year's US Open. She stated that she wasn't happy competing anymore.
After a successful start to 2021, Naomi Osaka struggled during the remainder of the season
After starting the 2021 season on a high, the rest of Naomi Osaka's year was quite turbulent. After winning the Australian Open, her 23 match win streak came to an end in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open where she lost to Maria Sakkari 6-0, 6-4 in a rather one-sided match.
The clay season didn't bring her much respite. She lost early in Madrid and Rome. Prior to the start of the French Open, Osaka announced her decision to skip the mandatory press conferences that players are required to do, saying that they have an adverse effect on her mental health.
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Her decision sparked a much-needed discourse regarding the mental health of athletes. Osaka later withdrew from Roland Garros after winning her first-round match. Osaka didn't participate in Wimbledon either and returned to action at the Tokyo Olympics, where she lost in the third round.
Her struggles continued during the North American hardcourt swing as well, losing in the third round of the Cincinnati Open and the US Open. The Japanese ended her season after her US Open exit. Her early losses and lack of matches played also resulted in her exit from the top 10 as she ended the year ranked number 13, her lowest year-end ranking since 2017.
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