"I thought I wasn't going to play for most of this year" - Osaka speaks on return to the court

Naomi Osaka made her triumphant return to the tennis court on Tuesday at the Melbourne Summer Set I, but the former World No.1 admitted to being unsure of when she would actually play again.

The Japanese superstar defeated Alize Cornet in a tight three-setter in her opening round match, over three months after she played her last competitive match, at the 2021 US Open.

“I actually really thought I wasn’t going to play for most of this year,” the 24-year-old told reporters at the Melbourne Summer Set.

“I’m really happy with myself that I love the sport that much because I literally said that I was unsure when I was going to play after the US Open and I’m here right now."

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The four-time Grand Slam champion had taken a hiatus from tennis following her third-round loss at the US Open, but finally returned to the court, albeit earlier than she thought.

“In the break I was feeling like I didn’t know what my future was going to be," admitted Osaka. "I’m pretty sure a lot of people can relate to that, of course you never know what the future holds, but it was definitely an indecisive time – but I’m happy to be sitting here right now.”