Naomi Osaka shares positive 1-word message as she gears up for comeback after injury spell
Naomi Osaka recently shared an uplifting one-word message concerning her return to competitive tennis action. Osaka hasn't been in action since the 2025 Australian Open, where an abdominal injury forced her to retire mid-match during his third-round clash against Belinda Bencic.
The former No. 1 started her 2025 season at the ASB Classic in Auckland and appeared to be back to her best as she reached the final of the WTA 250 event. Unfortunately, an abdominal issue prevented her from completing the final against Clara Tauson. Osaka retired after winning the first set 6-4, facilitating a walkover title triumph for her opponent.
The same injury problem resurfaced at the Australian Open less than a fortnight later. Once again, Naomi Osaka had established a one-set lead, this time against Belinda Bencic in the third round of the Australian Open, before retiring. On Tuesday, February 11, the four-time Major champion took to Instagram and shared a picture, indicating that she has returned to practice.
She captioned the post:
"Back"
The hip problem Osaka experienced at the ASB Classic in Auckland and then at the Australian Open forced her to miss two important events on the WTA Tour, the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open and the Qatar TotalEnergies Open.
While the Japanese is yet to confirm her next competitive on-court outing, her name was recently announced on the entry list for a prestigious grasscourt event later this year.
Naomi Osaka slated to feature at iconic Queen's Club event where women's tennis is set to make long-awaited return
The 2025 HSBC Championships at The Queen's Club in June is all set to bring back women's tennis to the iconic tennis venue after a gap of over five decades. The official X handle of the event recently confirmed Naomi Osaka's participation at the WTA 500 tournament.
The last time women's singles were played at the tournament was in 1973. That year, Olga Morozova defeated Evonne Goolagong in the final to clinch the title.
Osaka missed almost the entirety of the 2023 season due to her pregnancy. However, after giving birth to her daughter with rapper Cordae, Shai, she returned in the 2024 season. For most of last year, the Japanese's form was inconsistent. However, her positive start to 2025, despite her abdominal injury niggles, has led to a current ranking of No. 44 on the WTA Tour.