A four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka returned from maternity leave last year and lost in the first or second round of all four major tournaments. The 27-year-old Japan native has not won any event on the WTA Tour since capturing her second Australian Open title to start 2021.

Fourteen seeded players, including last year’s finalists Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen, take center stage as the top half of the draw battles for a spot in the third round.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka survived a first Australian Open test, but last year's beaten finalist Zheng Qinwen suffered a shock second-round exit.

20th seed Karolina Muchova will take on four-time Major ... is the bane of the existence of another prominent shotmaker, Aryna Sabalenka. Her variety often stumps players who rely on their ...

Naomi Osaka came from one set down to defeat Karolina Muchova in the second round of the 2025 Australian Open.

Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, Zheng Qinwen, Diana Shnaider, Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula all delivered magic winners on Day 3 of the Australian Open.

The Belarusian insists it is a Grand Slam and there are many other players who are playing well. Read more at straitstimes.com.

So far, confirmations; the surprise of the day was the defeat of Qinwen Zheng, finalist last year here in Melbourne. The Chinese was defeated by Laura Siegemund, who played a truly extraordinary match. The German is now in an open draw portion, in which there are also Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Diana Shnaider and Donna Vekic.

Aryna Sabalenka survives first Australian Open test, while Chinese ace Qinwen Zheng is shocked; Naomi Osaka sets up meeting with fellow mum Belinda Bencic; watch all the action from the ATP and WTA Tours on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+,

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka survived a first Australian ... Garcia by coming from a set down to see off 20th seed Karolina Muchova 1-6 6-1 6-3. Her draw does not get any easier with former ...

Osaka rallied past 20th-seeded Karolina Muchova 1-6 ... Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus powered into the third round, beating Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5.

Aryna Sabalenka backed Clara Tauson to break ... last weekend but impressed in victories over Caroline Garcia and Karolina Muchova. “It was a little hectic trying to manage it, because obviously ...