After giving birth to daughter Shai, Naomi Osaka is all set to make a comeback to the hard court in 2024. While many believe in her, the former World No. 1 is not completely fearless. Aryna Sabalenka became a dangerous player in 2022, putting her fear in the hearts of many, including Osaka. The Belarusian player won her first slam and even reached rank 1 near the end of the season, and clearly means business in 2024.

Many believe that the Japanese-American star will be on her own warpath. But in the latest season of Break Point, Osaka shared that she was mindful of Sabalenka.

Naomi Osaka wary of Aryna Sabalenka

The new season of Break Point is live and gives a deeper dive into the lives of players. The first episode covers a segment about Saba and shows her struggle to get to the finals of a major tournament. It covered moments before she won the Australian Open and also showed other players facing her on tour. Naomi Osaka was a prominent individual who spoke about her.   

Osaka said, “She’s definitely an extrovert. I’ve only played her once, but she’s a player you would constantly worry about. She’s very strong and hits the ball very heavy.” Osaka and Sabalenka have faced each other once on the WTA Tour, which saw the former emerge victorious. The time was Osaka’s prime, and Saba was still figuring out her spot on the professional tour.

Sabalenka has figured out her place in the game, and Osaka will rediscover what it will be like to play against the best. The two have a good chance of playing each other again, in which case, a former WTA star believes the Japanese-American will be a tough challenge.

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Austrian legend pits Osaka as a monumental task against Sabalenka

In an interview with Eurosport, Barbara Schett discussed Naomi Osaka’s comeback. She revealed the effect her comeback might have on someone like Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka and also referred to Osaka’s best years when mentioning the challenge. Schett said Osaka can hit the ball very hard, and someone like Swiatek and Saba will have problems facing her.

The main draw of the Australian Open is a few days away, and the action is almost on our screens. With many players aiming to take down the defending champion, who do you think has a better chance of prevailing?