Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu are in competition to win a WTA award after they had been nominated for the Comeback Participant of the 12 months.
This week, the WTA introduced nominees for a number of awards they hand out after each season. And in a single class, two former Grand Slam champions discovered their place.
On the subject of Osaka, she missed all the 2023 season as a result of being pregnant. After returning initially of 2024, the previous world No. 1 had her greatest outcome on the WTA 1000 event in Doha, the place she reached the quarterfinal.
Whereas the 27-year-old loved an amazing week in Doha, one factor about her comeback that in all probability caught into the minds of tennis followers is her French Open second-round assembly towards Iga Swiatek. In her first Roland Garros as a mom, Osaka almost turned the primary participant since 2021 to beat the Pole in Paris. Sadly for the four-time Grand Slam champion, she finally fell simply brief after blowing a 5-2 third-set lead and a match level. Nonetheless, it was nonetheless a extremely spectacular efficiency that reminded of her greatest days.
In October, Osaka reached the round-of-16 on the WTA 1000 event in Beijing and was up by a set and a break towards Coco Gauff earlier than a again harm pressured her to retire. Sadly, the Japanese did not get to play in every other tournaments in the remainder of the season. In the long run, she completed with a 22-18 report in 2024 and bought to No. 59 within the rankings.
On the opposite facet, Raducanu performed in simply 5 tournaments final yr earlier than present process surgical procedures on each wrists and her foot in 2023 Could.
After kicking off her comeback within the first week of 2024, the Briton made her first semifinal since 2022 in Nottingham – clinched her first two top-10 wins – and likewise reached the Wimbledon round-of-16, which marked her first second week at a Grand Slam since 2021. Additionally, the 22-year-old gained round 250 spots on the WTA rankings and is ready to enter 2025 as world No. 58.
Apart from Osaka and Raducanu, Paula Badosa, Karolina Muchova and Amanda Anisimova had been additionally nominated for the WTA Comeback Participant of the 12 months award.
Osaka admitted to being impatient with wanting huge outcomes
All through 2023, the Japanese former world No. 1 made it clear a number of occasions that she would need large ends in her comeback and extra Grand Slams. However after being out for 16 months and giving delivery, the four-time Grand Slam champion unsurprisingly struggled along with her outcomes and consistency in 2024.
However whereas Osaka immediately not returning to Slam-winning kind wasn’t shocking, that did not imply that the 27-year-old was content material with it.
“I’m the kind of one that desires issues to occur shortly, however I’m simply understanding that tennis has come such a good distance and these are the most effective gamers on the earth. Nonetheless, it was her capability to dream huge that arguably led to her mesmeric rise to the head of tennis, which she additionally laughed about,” Osaka instructed The Guardian earlier this yr.
‘I’ve had this since I used to be little. However the folks they name loopy are often those which are the those that do one thing actually spectacular. My delusional trait might be me daydreaming and inventing a state of affairs I need to occur and generally they do occur.”
Raducanu fired a stern warning to her competitors
Identical to Osaka, the British tennis star additionally sustained an harm late within the season. However in contrast to the Japanese, she was capable of recuperate in time for Billie Jean King Cup and take part on the BJK Cup Finals occasion in Malaga. There, the 2021 US Open went 3-3 after ousting Jule Niemeier, Rebecca Marino and Viktorija Hruncakova in straight units.
And after showing in 13 tournaments this yr and posting a 23-13 report, Raducanu said she believes she is a participant no person desires to attract early within the event.
“Yeah, I believe I began the yr off fairly properly for the primary half, as much as Wimbledon. Then I struggled a bit of bit extra with my physique I believe bodily. Wasn’t capable of play the complete calendar and keep on courtroom as a lot as I’d have favored. However my evaluation is, you, I believe generally I want reminding, I am high 60 on the earth and I’ve performed lower than 15 occasions, which is fairly unparalleled, in a approach. I’ve to pat myself on the again for that. I do know I am a harmful participant. I do know nobody desires to tug my names within the draw. I take pleasure in that, and I am wanting ahead to hopefully staying on courtroom longer subsequent yr,” the 22-year-old stated.
It stays to be seen if both Osaka and Raducanu can be picked for the WTA Comeback Participant of the 12 months of if can be another person.
