Osaka battling injury, bad form
Clay isn't her forte but she's in a better frame of mind now and could go far in French Open
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
PARIS • Naomi Osaka returns to Roland Garros looking to banish the memories of her withdrawal 12 months ago, but hampered by concerns over her clay-court form and fitness.
The former world No. 1 pulled out of last year's French Open ahead of the second round, citing mental health issues.
The Japanese star had been threatened with expulsion and fined by the organisers over her refusal to attend press conferences.
She then spent large parts of the remainder of last season off the court and has struggled this campaign with injuries.
The four-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from last week's Italian Open to rest an Achilles tendon problem and try to regain full fitness for Roland Garros, where she will be unseeded at a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2018 Australian Open.
The 24-year-old has slipped to 38th in the WTA rankings going into Sunday's start of the French Open, but was as low as 78th in March. However, Osaka has shown she can still compete for the biggest titles, reaching the Miami Open final - her first on the WTA Tour since last year's Australian Open - before losing to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
She will fancy her chances of a deep run at Roland Garros for the first time in a wide-open women's draw, with the exception of red-hot favourite Swiatek, who is on a Tour-leading 28-match winning streak.
But she has plenty still to prove on clay, having never reached a WTA Tour final on the surface or even made the second week of the French Open.
Osaka's preparation this time around has been far from ideal and she has played only two matches on the red dirt this season.
Still, the world's highest-paid sportswoman, who pulled in US$57 million (S$78.9 million) last year according to Forbes, believes she is more content both on and off the court after a turbulent 2021.
"At this stage in my life, I feel very content in my mental health journey. I feel comfortable in who I am and where I have come from," she told Self magazine earlier this month. "My main goal used to be winning. Lately I have tried to ask myself questions like, 'Will this make you happy'?"
Her sporting focus will be firmly on the next two months and making a serious dent in the French Open and Wimbledon draws for the first time, with the added bonus of a potential rise back up the rankings.
In the men's draw, Stefanos Tsitsipas is also aiming to do better here - but unlike Osaka, clay is his favoured surface.
Having been spoken of as a Slam winner since he burst onto the scene in 2018, the Greek came mighty close to winning his first Major at last year's French Open, taking two sets off eventual champion and top-ranked Novak Djokovic.
His last three titles have all been on the red dirt, including Monte Carlo last month, and he also made the final in Rome.
Although Rafael Nadal tested out his injured foot in his first practice in Paris on Wednesday without any obvious discomfort, there are still concerns over his fitness, and both Carlos Alcaraz and Djokovic are considered the favourites here.
The pair are slightly ahead of him in the form table, the Greek world No. 4 acknowledged, but he feels he can peak over the next fortnight.
Tsitsipas said: "I would love to get around with these players and be there with them. I'll really need to put more attention to detail in the next couple of weeks."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS