Naomi Osaka returns to court in Japanese colours for the first time since 2020 but will face a tough test against Kazakhstan
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has vowed to play “sane and strategic” tennis as she makes her long-awaited Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge return in Japan’s Qualifier with Kazakhstan.
Japan are a win away from their first Billie Jean King Cup Finals and will be buoyed by the presence of former world No.1 Osaka for their showdown at Tokyo’s Ariake Coliseum.
Osaka has made an encouraging return to action this season having missed the entire 2023 campaign with the birth of her daughter, Shai, in July. Since January, she has risen more than 600 places to No.193 in the WTA Rankings.
The 26-year-old, who last played Billie Jean King Cup for Japan in February 2020, will play the second singles match of the opening day against Kazakhstan’s top-ranked player Yulia Putintseva.
“It has definitely been a while since I played in Japan [September 2022] and I would say the type of play I would like to show everyone is something really sane,” said Osaka.
“When I was younger, I tried to hit a lot of crazy shots, but now I am a little bit more strategic. I hope that it is fun for everyone to watch but I am not going to do anything crazy tomorrow or on Saturday.
“I am really excited to be back in the team atmosphere.”
Osaka has won five of the seven matches she has contested for Japan in Billie Jean King Cup – all in singles – but Putintseva is an opponent she has had her struggles with previously. The pair have faced each other four times on the WTA Tour, with Putintseva winning on three occasions.
For her part, Putintseva will draw level with Yaroslava Shvedova in second place on the list for most Billie Jean King Cup match-wins by a Kazakhstan player if she wins three matches this weekend.
The 29-year-old is already one of three Kazakhstan players to record 20 or more victories in the competition, and one of three Kazakhstani players to contest 25 or more ties. In short, this will not be an easy return to Billie Jean King Cup action for Osaka.
“I’m always ready to be No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 – the main thing is to bring victories to the team,” said Putintseva. “We have an excellent chance of a successful performance, we just need to take it.
“I played with Naomi several times and I know how to act against her. With my coach, I will further analyse the game that she has shown in her recent matches.”
The Osaka-Putintseva battle is not the only show in town and follows the opening singles clash between Nao Hibino and Anna Danilina, who has lost the only two singles matches she has played in Billie Jean King Cup – both at the 2023 Finals.
That said, Kazakhstan are on a roll and are bidding to reach the Finals for the third time. In recent times, they have always found a way and will be more than competitive even in the absence of former world No.3 Elena Rybakina.
On day two of the tie, Hibino will draw swords with Putintseva before Osaka takes to the court once more to face Danilina. This all precedes the doubles, with home favourites Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama facing Zhibek Kulambayeva and Danilina.
Shibahara is unbeaten in Billie Jean King Cup having won all eight doubles matches she has contested, while her partner Aoyama is currently on a 13-match winning streak in the competition. Her last defeat came in 2017.
The winners of the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers will all book their place in November’s Finals; the losers will contest the Play-offs in the same month.
