Naomi Osaka heads into the Australian Open with optimism despite a bumpy start to the 2026 season when she struggled with illness during the United Cup in Perth. The four-time Grand Slam champion looked far from her usual bright confidence in Japan’s opening match, where she looked drained of energy and was seen coughing on the court in a straight sets loss to Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-2.
Osaka later explained that she had been unwell over the Christmas break and was unable to play at full capacity during the match, adding that she may have contracted the illness from her two-year-old daughter and that she had been focusing on her recovery since then.
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Despite the early setback, Osaka remains encouraged by her progress. He believes he is close to a full recovery, although he admits he is not in the best shape yet. The former world number one stressed her priority is to gradually improve, each day as it comes, and is confident the remaining symptoms, including a lingering cough, cold and fatigue, will subside before the Australian Open starts in Melbourne on January 18.
“I’ve been dealing with health issues, so I’m kind of happy to be here right now. It’s nothing serious, but I’m not operating at the percentages I want to be operating at, which is a shame because I had a really good offseason, so I thought I’d do really well here,” Osaka said.
TRYING TO IMPROVE
Looking back on the match, Osaka admitted it was far from an ideal way to start the season, especially after she felt she had put together a productive and encouraging offseason. However, she cherished the chance to compete alongside her team and was grateful to be able to take the court at all, choosing to push through the illness rather than pull herself out of the tie altogether.
“I’m on the tail end of it, but it’s still not amazing. I’m trying to improve every day. I had a cough, a cold, like all those nasty things, so I hope it goes away before the Australian Open,” Osaka added.
Osaka’s past success at the Australian Open, a tournament she has previously won, adds a sense of optimism around her rise. Despite her early disappointment at the United Cup, her focus remains firmly on recovery and fine-tuning her preparation to peak at the first Grand Slam of the season.
Known for her resilience and ability to rise to the occasion, Osaka creates a positive narrative as the Melbourne major approaches.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
January 4, 2026
