Naomi Osaka will make her return to Indian Wells on Thursday, where she won her first WTA title.
She last played Indian Wells in 2022, and since then has given birth to a baby daughter, Shai. This year’s tournament marks just the second time she’s played Indian Wells since 2019.
"It's nice to get in the car and be able to drive here," said Osaka, who lives in Beverly Hills. "And I brought my daughter, so coming back home and seeing her is new, but it's nice. It does feel a little bit like home."
Following her win at Indian Wells in 2018, Osaka would win her first Grand Slam – the US Open – later that year. It was her first of four major wins.
She gave birth to her daughter last July, and made her return to tennis earlier this year. She fell in the opening rounds of this year’s Australian Open and Abu Dhabi Open before making the quarterfinals in Doha.
As she finds her way back, Osaka – a self-admitted “perfectionist” – is trying to remain positive.
"I've had dreams while I was pregnant of what I wanted to achieve, and obviously losing in the first round of the Australian Open wasn't in my dreams, but I have to be really realistic and kind to myself," she said. "When I was in Doha and I got to the quarters, I was really happy. I would have loved to go further, but I'm in the top 200 now and I'm actually really excited about that."
She’s unseeded heading into the WTA 1000 event, but that’s just fine.
“I’m in the Top 200s now -- and I’m actually pretty excited about that,” Osaka said . “I totally forgot what it’s like to be a top seed, so I’m just winging it.
"When I won Indian Wells [in 2018] I wasn't seeded. It's better for me to play the seven matches because I want to know what it's like to potentially win a fifth Grand Slam. This is really great practice for me, and hopefully I'll get through my first match and my second match.”
Osaka plays Italian qualifier Sara Errani in the first round.