Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu are in contention to win a WTA award after they were nominated for the Comeback Player of the Year.
This week, the WTA announced nominees for multiple awards they hand out after every season. And in one category, two former Grand Slam champions found their place.
When it comes to Osaka, she missed the entire 2023 season due to pregnancy. After returning at the start of 2024, the former world No. 1 had her best result at the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha, where she reached the quarterfinal.
While the 27-year-old enjoyed a great week in Doha, one thing about her comeback that probably stuck into the minds of tennis fans is her French Open second-round meeting against Iga Swiatek. In her first Roland Garros as a mother, Osaka nearly became the first player since 2021 to beat the Pole in Paris. Unfortunately for the four-time Grand Slam champion, she ultimately fell just short after blowing a 5-2 third-set lead and a match point. However, it was still a highly impressive performance that reminded of her best days.
In October, Osaka reached the round-of-16 at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing and was up by a set and a break against Coco Gauff before a back injury forced her to retire. Sadly, the Japanese didn’t get to play in any other tournaments…
