Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka will tune up for her AO title defense in Melbourne.
Former No. 1 Osaka will make her long-awaited Tour return at the WTA 250 tournament in Melbourne set for January 3-9th.
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World No. 13 Osaka pulled the plug on her 2021 season after her three-set US Open loss to Leylah Fernandez last September.
Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu, former world No. 1 Simona Halep, Roland Garros finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Jessica Pegula, Elise Mertens and Camila Giorgi are among the notable names in the field.
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