Japan’s
Naomi Osaka posted a stunning picture of enjoying
the summer break on social media. The former world number one returned to the
court earlier this year after a gap of more than 12 months. She took a break because
of pregnancy. Osaka shared a picture on her Instagram account of herself
wearing a stunning red dress. The caption of her image was "Aesthetic.”
She was also seen holding a Louis Vuitton bag.
Osaka has gone through a difficult 2024 campaign. She
participated in 37 matches and won just 20 of them, suffering defeats in the
other 17. Her most impressive run in two competitions where she faltered in the
quarterfinals. In the Qatar Open in Doha in February earlier this year, she
lost to Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in straight sets with a score
of 7-6, 7-6. Then later in June, Osaka once again came second best in the
quarterfinals, this time in the Libema Open, to Canada’s Bianca Andreescu with
a score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6.
Osaka’s Grand Slam performances were not up to the mark as
well as she failed to book a place in the third round or beyond in any of the
events. She lost in the first round of the Australian Open to France’s Caroline
Garcia in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 7-6. She was knocked out in the
second round in the other three Grand Slams.
During the season, the Osaka-born, who is a four-time Grand
Slam winner and last lifted a major title back in 2021, admitted that she has
to learn again how to win matches. “I guess I need to learn how to win again,” she
said as quoted by Tennis 365. “Maybe that’s something I forgot how to do. Maybe
I have to keep playing matches against really good players to relearn that.”