Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka returned to action for the first time since May with a 6–4 3–6 6–1 win over Zheng Qinwen at the Silicon Valley Classic on Tuesday, setting up a mouth-watering clash against teenage American Coco Gauff.
Japan’s Osaka suffered a left Achilles injury in the lead-up to the French Open, where she lost in the opening round before pulling out of Wimbledon.
The former world number one has her father back as coach after splitting with Wim Fissette and showed she has regained full fitness during her victory at the WTA 500 event in San Jose, California.
“My best friends are from here. So I’ve been to the campus and been to the class, on the side. I kind of feel like a local,” Osaka, who has currently slipped down to 41 in the rankings, said on court….