Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka looked solid on her return to elite tennis after 15 months out as she beat Germany's Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 7-6 (9) in the first round of the Brisbane International Monday.
The 26-year old from Japan last competed on tour at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September 2022 and had her first child, daughter Shai, in July before stepping up her preparations for the January 14-28 Australian Open.
Osaka displayed no signs of rust to break Korpatsch to love in her first game back and the former world No 1 turned up the heat again towards the end of the opening set to close it out in 38 minutes with a sizzling forehand winner.
Twice Melbourne Park champion Osaka dropped serve for a second time late in the next set to squander her advantage but continued her clean ball-striking in the fiercely contested tiebreak to secure the victory.
Up next for Osaka is a clash with former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova, who received a bye into the second round.
