Naomi Osaka wins her opening match on return to elite tennis at the Brisbane International

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Naomi Osaka’s first win at the elite level since becoming a mother didn’t come easily. It did come on Day 1 of the year, though. So that was two items Osaka checked off the list Monday for her comeback to professional tennis.

The former No. 1-ranked Osaka was broken while serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set and needed three match points before converting in the tiebreaker for a 6-3, 7-6 (9) victory over Tamara Korpatsch in the first round of the Brisbane International.

“I was super nervous the whole time,” Osaka, 26, said of her comeback match against the 28-year-old German player.

A two-time Australian and U.S. Open champion, Osaka pulled out of last year’s Australian Open in Melbourne before later revealing she was pregnant. The U.S.-based Japanese player and her partner, rapper Cordae, became parents to daughter Shai in Los Angeles in July.

Osaka had only played one game since her first-round exit at the 2022 U.S. Open. She was leading Daria Gavrilova 1-0 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September of that year before the Australian retired from the match with injury.

Osaka said she has a renewed focus on living in the moment when it comes to her tennis.

“The last couple years that I played before I had my daughter, I didn’t return as much love as I was given,” she told the crowd at Pat Rafter Arena. "So I really feel like that’s what I want to do in this chapter.

"I just really appreciate people coming out and people knowing me and cheering for me.

Reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka

, Elena Rybakina, Jelena Ostapenko, Victoria Azarenka, Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens are also in the 64-player women's draw at the Brisbane International, one of the key tune-up events for the Australian Open in Melbourne.

___

AP tennis:

https://apnews.com/hub/tennis