Naomi Osaka will compete in the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time in four years, when Japan faces Kazakhstan in a qualifier in Tokyo next month, the team stated Friday.
After giving birth, the four-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one is returning to tennis this season. She last participated in the competition in 2020. After making her comeback, the 26-year-old has participated in five tournaments. Earlier this week at the Indian Wells Masters, she was defeated by Elise Mertens of Belgium in the round of 32.
Now, after taking a 15-month maternity break from the tour, she is ranked 287th in the world.
Since withdrawing from the Pan Pacific Open in September 2022 before her second-round match, it will be Osaka’s first time to Tokyo.
On April 12 and 13, Japan will play Kazakhstan at Tokyo’s Ariake Coliseum, where Osaka advanced to the third round of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The winners will advance to the finals in Spain in November.
Osaka has previously stated her desire to compete at the Olympics in Paris this summer.
