Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has received a wild card entry into the US Open, marking her return to professional tennis after a maternity hiatus. The former world No. 1 resumed her competitive journey on the WTA Tour in January 2024 after welcoming her first child in July 2023. However, Osaka has yet to advance past the quarter-finals in any tournament this season.
The tennis star has candidly shared her struggles with “long bouts of depression” following her withdrawal from the French Open in 2021. Despite competing in the Tokyo Olympics, she did not take part in Wimbledon that year. Recently, she compared her emotional state after losing in qualifying for the Cincinnati Open to the challenges of being postpartum, revealing in a heartfelt post that these feelings “scare” her.
Scheduled to compete at Flushing Meadows from August 26 to September 8, Osaka’s participation has generated significant interest among tennis fans.
In addition to Osaka, notable players such as Bianca Andreescu, who clinched her first Grand Slam title at the 2019 US Open, and the rising talent Amanda Anisimova have also been awarded wild cards for the main draw.
On the men’s side, three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, former US Open champion Dominic Thiem, and American athletes Chris Eubanks, Zachary Svajda, Learner Tien, and Matthew Forbes have received wild card entries. Thiem, at 30 years old, announced his retirement at the end of the season after battling a persistent wrist injury for several years.
As excitement builds for the final Grand Slam event of 2024, fans can look forward to watching their favorite tennis stars compete on the hard courts. Key upcoming events include the Cincinnati Open, Winston-Salem Open, and the much-anticipated US Open.
