Naomi Osaka's Nostalgic Return to the U.S. Open

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka returns to the U.S. Open, focusing on childhood nostalgia. After a 15-month maternity break, she aims to regain her forme title-winning form. Inspired by Coco Gauff's victory, Osaka hopes to excel beyond her recent setbacks at other major tournaments.

Naomi Osaka's return to the U.S. Open this year is not merely about reclaiming her former glory but reliving cherished childhood memories. After a 15-month maternity hiatus, the Japanese tennis star has faced challenges in regaining her championship-winning form.

She admits that the year has been tough, with early exits in several tournaments. 'I've had really hard matches, and it kind of dipped my confidence a little,' Osaka told reporters. Despite these setbacks, Osaka finds solace in the U.S. Open, with its vivid memories of her youth.

Osaka was a spectator in New York last year, drawing inspiration from Coco Gauff's win. Now, she has set a personal goal to perform her best in the upcoming matches, starting with her face-off against Latvian 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies.)