"She showed that it's possible": Iga Swiatek delighted with return for Naomi Osaka after becoming a mother

Former World No.1 Naomi Osaka has made her much-anticipated return to competitive tennis, and Polish WTA colleague Iga Swiatek recently expressed her joy at seeing the Japanese superstar back in action.

Osaka gave birth to her first child in July of 2023, and began working to get back on the court soon after. The four-time Grand Slam champion announced she would be making her return at the 2024 Brisbane International, defeating Tamara Korpatsch in the opening round. Osaka will next face former World No.1 Karolina Pliskova, as the Japanese star hopes to build off her impressive performance after spending over a year on the sidelines.

In a recent interview, World No.1 Iga Swiatek revealed her joy at seeing Osaka back in action. The reigning French Open champion acknowledged how difficult it is to face Osaka, but stated she was pleased the Japanese tennis star made a winning return.

"I'm really happy that she's back," admitted Swiatek. "I heard that she's really feeling well off court, which is amazing to hear. It's going to be nice to see her & to catch up a bit. I mean, her tennis has always been great. She had plenty ups & downs, but when she was playing great it was hard to win against her. She won for the first time in two years. Really amazing. She showed that it's possible."