Opinion: Naomi Osaka's 'optimistic' return to tennis has been overshadowed by Djokovic drama

The drama surrounding Novak Djokovic’s tussle with the Australian government has sucked up every last bit of oxygen from the start of the new tennis season.

But when the Australian Open begins Monday (Sunday night in the U.S.), at least some attention will turn to a player that nobody was quite sure would be there this year, albeit for a much different reason.

Last we saw of Naomi Osaka, she had left the U.S. Open last September in tears, noncommittal about when – or even if – she would play tennis again.

After a year that began with her fourth Grand Slam title and so much promise, Osaka’s 2021 season turned into a disaster as she struggled with mental health issues, her form on the tennis court and ultimately her desire to play the game. In her press conference following a third-round loss to Leylah Fernandez, Osaka made the stunning announcement that she was taking an indefinite break from the game.