Former top ranked and four-time Grand Slam winner, Naomi Osaka, will return to the ASB Classic in Auckland to begin her 2025 season.
The 26-year-old, born in Japan but moved to USA at a young age, made her return to tennis this year after nearly two years which included the birth of her daughter Shai.
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She returns to Auckland for the first time since playing at the ASB Tennis Arena in 2017.
“I am looking forward to just embracing the nature of Auckland and of course, playing in a tournament that I have not played in for a long time,” said Osaka.
“I am excited to return to Auckland for the ASB Classic 2025. When I was there last time, I was fortunate to go on a helicopter tour and explore the beaches which I thought were really beautiful .
“My other memory is that Auckland has the best salmon.”
ASB Classic Tournament Director, Nicolas Lamperin said the tournament is excited to host Osaka back in Auckland.
“Naomi is one of the premier players in tennis, with an exciting and hard-hitting game,” he said. “It is always challenging to return to this sport after extensive time away, but Naomi has shown some extremely promising form.
“She has an immensely powerful game and plays an exciting brand of tennis. Many believe Naomi will re-emerge at the top of the sport, and that journey for the 2025 season will start here in Auckland.”
Osaka became the first player in three decades to win each of her first four Grand Slam finals, winning the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021 and the US Open in 2018 and 2020, along with titles in Osaka, Beijing and Indian Wells.
It led to her awarded the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year in 2021, and selected to light the cauldron at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
“What brought me back to the WTA Tour was wanting to see what I could do. And also, I want Shai to cheer for me when she grows up, so hopefully I have a very long career ahead.”
She made her WTA debut in 2013 and made her first main draw debut in 2014 when she beat Sam Stosur in Stanford in the first round.
Osaka was voted newcomer of the year in 2016 when she made her first WTA final in Tokyo and in 2021, she became just the 16th player to win four or more Majors in the Open era.
Osaka enjoyed a promising return to the WTA Tour as she adjusts her life and her game with the addition of a new coach.
“I give myself an A because there was a lot of effort. The results will get there. I am optimistic and just looking forward to the next tournament and look forward to how I can get better.
“The biggest challenge that I have had to overcome since returning to the Tour as a mum is managing time and seeing my time differently. Sometimes I think every minute is very important to me now and maybe before that, I never really felt that way.”
She joins New Zealand’s Lulu Sun as the first players confirmed for the tournament.
Lamperin also announced that New Zealand's largest privately-owned real estate agency, Barfoot & Thompson will join as the official ball-kids sponsor.