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Naomi Osaka beat Alycia Parks in straight sets at the ASB Classic in New Zealand to reach her first WTA final since 2022 and since her return to tennis last year after the birth of her first child.
The four-time Grand Slam champion defeated Parks 6-4 6-2 to advance to Sunday’s final where she will face Denmark’s Clara Tauson.
Osaka played in her first semifinal since the 2022 Miami Open, where she defeated Belinda Bencic before losing to Iga Swiatek in the championship match.
He will try to win his first title since the Australian Open in 2021.
Osaka will face Denmark’s Clara Tauson in the final on Sunday in New Zealand
The Japanese star announced her retirement from tennis just before the 2023 Australian Open after revealing she was pregnant.
Osaka returned to the court at the 2024 Brisbane International but struggled to recapture the form that made her world No.1 last year.
Ranked 57th in Auckland, her semi-final win moved Osaka back into the top 50 of the WTA live rankings.
“Of course I’m very happy to get to the final, but I’ve never actually reached the final of a tournament a week before Melbourne, so this is the first time in my career,” Osaka said at Sky Sports Tennis.
“I think in my head I’m always happy that there are things that keep improving or getting better, no matter how old you are.”
Watch the Auckland Classic final, plus the United Cup and ATP and WTA events in Brisbane and Hong Kong live on Sky Sports Tennis this weekend or stream with NOW.
