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Naomi Osaka is all set for her highly anticipated return to tennis. The former World No. 1 went on a hiatus following her exit from the 2021 US Open. After a gap of almost four months, she's ready to play her first match.
Osaka started her 2021 season on a high note by winning her fourth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. However, the remainder of her season wasn't as successful as she struggled for a myriad of reasons.
Her clay season started with early losses in Madrid and Rome. Her struggles with mental health overshadowed her French Open participation as she withdrew from the tournament after the first round.
Osaka returned to action at the Tokyo Olympics. Following that, she competed at the Cincinnati Open and the US Open. She lost in the third round at all three events. Her poor showing was the result of her being unhappy while competing, as stated by her after the US Open loss.
After a tough 2021, she'll aim to start her comeback on a positive note.
Where is Naomi Osaka playing?
Osaka is competing at the Melbourne Summer Set 1, where she's the top seed. It serves as a warm-up tournament leading up to the Australian Open, where she's the defending champion.
Who is Naomi Osaka playing against?
Osaka's first-round opponent is Alize Cornet, who is currently ranked 61 in the world. This will be a tricky opening match for the four-time Grand Slam champion as Cornet's current ranking is misleading. She is a veteran with plenty of experience against top players.
Cornet famously defeated Serena Williams thrice in 2014, when the American was the World No. 1. The French player is a fierce competitor who's known to oust top players from time to time. Osaka will need to bring her best from the get go to seal victory.
Naomi Osaka vs Alize Cornet match schedule
Naomi Osaka's match is second on the schedule for the Rod Laver Arena. The first match, which starts at 11 am local time, will feature Jessica Pegula going up against Irini-Camelia Begu. Osaka's match will start at approximately at 12:30 pm local time.
Here are the broadcast timings of Naomi Osaka's match for fans in the USA, UK, and Canada.
USA: Approx. 8:30 pm ET, January 3, 2022
UK: Approx. 1:30 am GMT, January 4, 2022
Canada: Approx. 8:30 pm ET, January 3, 2022
India: Approx 7:00 am IST, January 4, 2022
Naomi Osaka vs Alize Cornet streaming details
Viewers from the following countries can catch all the action live on the respective channels and sites:
USA: For viewers in the USA, Tennis Channel will broadcast all the matches.
UK: UK viewers can follow the action on Amazon Prime.
Canada: Fans in Canada can watch the matches on TSN.
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