"It's going to bring some answers, but it's only the beginning": Justine Henin admires Naomi Osaka's return but heeds warning

Justin Henin shared her admiration for Naomi Osaka and her comeback at the Australian Open after becoming a mother. The Japanese player gave birth in July and will return to a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2022 US Open.

The 7-times Grand Slam champion expressed her eagerness to see Osaka back on the courts: “It's going to be great to see her back now on the courts, [but] in what condition is very hard to say,” Henin told Eurosport. “It's going to bring some answers, but it's only the beginning of something.”

Henin, who decided to retire in 2008 when she was the world No. 1 and completed 16 months at the top of the ranking until just before the French Open, where she was the main favorite, returned two years later at the Australian Open.

“Coming back is never easy," she said. "I went through it also after a year, and for the most part, I had success because I played the final of the Australian Open after a long stop.”

“But we also know that we have women who had babies, we have players who stopped for a long time and will come back. It's different situations and I admire [it] because we know how much effort it takes to come back physically being a mother.

“To take that right, that possibility to be a mother and still do what they like to do, to play tennis, their passion, their job. And this is great to see, but we know it's hard.”

Henin hopes for a successful return from recently mothered tennis players. In addition to Osaka, former world No. 1s Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki are also returning to Melbourne after becoming mothers. The Belgian cited the recent example of Svitolina, who reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and the semifinals of Wimbledon just a few months after becoming a mother:

“I think that [Elina] Svitolina had success last year, and it looks like she's in good shape already [at the] beginning of the season, so some proof that it is possible to come back at a certain level,” Henin said.

“But you enter in the Grand Slam, and we know that globally, the level puts [on] more pressure on the first few rounds and the first round especially. The first Grand Slam of the year is gonna be something really special.

“Disappointment is everywhere in sport because you can win [and] you can lose. It happens quite a lot during [a] career, and these women have that experience. They know it's going to be difficult, but also, they are champions.

“That is something that's going to help them. Of course, the physical aspect is something really special. But we are going to pay attention to that [and] it's exciting to see these names back. The women's draw is going to be exciting and very interesting.”