Naomi Osaka returns to elite tennis from a maternity break and wins her first match in Brisbane

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Naomi Osaka’s first win at the elite level since becoming a mother didn’t come easily. But it did come on Day 1 of the year. That’s two items Osaka has checked off the list 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. The former U.S. and Australian Open champion pulled out of the 2023 Australian Open in Melbourne before later revealing she was pregnant.