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Serena Williams' childhood coach Rick Macci is tipping Naomi Osaka to return to the top-10 by the end of the 2024 season. Osaka, who reached the world No 1 ranking for the first time on January 28th, 2019, currently doesn't have a ranking.
After missing the entire 2023 season due to pregnancy, Osaka signed up to return to action in the first week of the 2024 season at the Brisbane International. "Was asked again if I still think @Naomiosaka can be top ten by the end of the year.
100%. Once she gets back into the battle and feels the Pain of losing in the Beginning the 4time Grand Slam Champ will dig deep in that treasure trove of Confidence and do Major league Winning," Macci wrote on X.
Was asked again if I still think @Naomiosaka can be top ten by the end of the year.
100%. Once she gets back into the battle and feels the Pain of losing in the Beginning the 4time Grand Slam Champ will dig deep in that treasure trove of Confidence and do Major league Winning. — Rick Macci (@RickMacci) November 13, 2023
Macci thinks Osaka will be a top-10 by the end of 2024
During the 2021 and 2022 seasons, four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka didn't play really much and she was struggling with motivation.
But after taking some time off and welcoming her first kid, the 26-year-old Japanese is determined to achieve more success in the future. "She’s super motivated and I’m super pumped to help her. She inspires the whole team with this champion mindset: she just wants to go for it.
I’m hoping her opponents will read this and get a little bit afraid of her! Where she is today is what makes working with her so inspiring. She wants to get back to world No 1, she wants to win Grand Slams," Osaka's performance coach Florian Zitzelsberger recently told Tennis Channel.
Last week, it was confirmed that Osaka's comeback would officially start in Brisbane, a tournament that takes place between December 31 - January 07. "She knows she's going to optimise her preparation for Melbourne. It was an easy conversation but I'm thrilled she's coming back.
To restart her career after becoming a mum, we couldn't be more thrilled she's chosen Brisbane," Brisbane tournament director Cam Pearson said.