Naomi Osaka has officially kicked off her comeback trail. The four-time Grand Slam champion recently shared a glimpse of her training session at Chris Evert’s prestigious tennis academy in Florida, marking her first hit since suffering a painful left thigh injury that prematurely ended her 2025 season.
Naomi Osaka Chronicles Her First Practice Session Since Injury
The Japanese tennis star’s 2025 campaign ended in heartbreak when she was forced to withdraw from her home tournament, the Japan Women’s Open, in October. Osaka had been scheduled to face Jaqueline Cristian in the quarterfinals before announcing her withdrawal just hours before the match. The injury occurred during her second-round clash, where she appeared to strain her thigh mid-match.
Despite the setback, Osaka chose to close her season with gratitude and optimism. Days after her withdrawal, she took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message with her followers. “And that’s a wrap on my year,” she said with a smile in a short video clip.
“Great year, everybody. Let’s do it again next year. Maybe a little differently. But yeah, it was fun. Thank you. And see you in Australia.”
Recently, Osaka gave her followers a much-needed update on her recovery journey through her Instagram stories. She posted a picture from the hard courts of the Evert Tennis Academy. The image showed Osaka back in action, embracing her first hitting session since her injury. She captioned the post, “First hit since I got injured and I literally almost died today (Let’s see how sore I am tomorrow lol).”
Naomi Osaka on Instagram
What Did Osaka Reveal About Her 2025 Season in Her Emotional Farewell Note?
Osaka’s 2025 season mixed flashes of her old dominance with a period of rebuilding. Returning full-time after giving birth in 2023, she earned her first title as a mother and her first on clay at the L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo, a WTA 125 event.
The Japanese tennis star reflected on her season in an Instagram post, writing: “Here’s my end of year recap for 2025 🥹❤️ When I sit and think about it, I just feel very thankful for this year. I’m thankful for the people I’ve encountered along the way, though our paths might lead in different directions, I will always appreciate the times we had together.”
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Expressing gratitude for the support she’s received and the chance to pursue her dreams alongside her daughter, Osaka added, “I’m thankful for my health and being able to wake up each day ready to chase my dreams. I’m also grateful for being able to travel and see the world with my daughter. I’m so honored that I have such amazing people that support me. See you guys next year ✨♥️”
Her year began strongly at the Auckland Open, where she reached the final but had to retire due to an abdominal injury. At the Australian Open, she beat Caroline Garcia and Karolina Muchova before withdrawing against Belinda Bencic.
Osaka’s North American swing was even more impressive, featuring a runner-up finish at the National Bank Open and a semifinal appearance at the US Open.
AloJapan.com