Aussie tennis great Alicia Molik rubbishes grim Naomi Osaka critique at Australian Open

A former Aussie tennis star has made a big call about Naomi Osaka’s comeback to tennis, after she was knocked out in the AO’s first round.

Former Aussie tennis star turned commentator Alicia Molik believes the world will watch Naomi Osaka win another Grand Slam within 18 months, despite being knocked out in the first round of the Australian Open this year.

The four-time Grand Slam winner, including two Australian Open titles, stepped away from the sport in September 2022 and gave birth to a baby girl, Shai, in July last year.

The 26-year-old entered the Australian Open having only played just two competitive matches in Brisbane since returning.

Osaka was up against 16th seed Caroline Garcia who won 6-4 7-6 (7-2).

“Naomi Osaka, as we know, came back extremely soon after having her child,” Molik said, speaking about the mothers on tour in a press conference on Monday.

“Despite losing to Garcia, I was incredibly impressed with her level. I think she has a Grand Slam on the horizon within the next 18 months … She’s way ahead of where I thought she would be at this point in time.”

Osaka was knocked out the first round of the Australian Open in her return to tennis. Picture: Saeed Khan / AFP

Molik said players who had taken a hiatus from tennis to become mums were returning with “new invigoration and new zest”.

“Naomi Osaka, for instance, I’ve never seen smile as much as she has at this Australian Open throughout her whole entire career,” she said.

Osaka has been open about her mental health struggles over the years.

In 2021, she withdrew from the French Open after refusing to do press conferences for mental health reasons. She was fined $US15,000 and threatened with expulsion from the four grand slams, which sparked heated debate.

Osaka during her post-match press conference last week. Picture: David Gray / AFP

Molik’s positive prediction comes after tennis legend Martina Navratilova criticised Osaka for not being fit enough.

“I’d give her tennis-wise, it was maybe a B-plus, but overall a C, because she couldn’t get to the ball that she wants to hit because she’s not in shape,” she told the Tennis Channel.

“I’m surprised that … she played this tournament without clearly being in the top shape that she needs to be in order to put herself in the position to hit the big, big balls.

“She was stretched out way too much and the fact she never had a break point tells you everything you need to know about that match.”

She added: “Yes, she gave birth, we know all that. But (Elina) Svitolina did too and she looks a lot better right off the bat.

“So that’s something you can control, I think the fitness, as long as you don’t have injuries, there’s no reason not to get in better shape and then she can win a lot more matches.”

Svitolina, 29, returned to the tour in April last year, six months after the birth of her daughter Skai. This Australian Open she retired from her fourth round match with a back injury in the first set.

Speaking about her Round 1 performance at the #AusOpen

Hall of famer and tennis analyst Martina Navratilova says Naomi Osaka “couldn’t get to the ball that she wants to hit because she’s NOT in shape”

Goes on to acknowledge that Osaka did give birth recently, but says… pic.twitter.com/UztWL4eApB

— Myles David (@TunedIntoTennis) January 16, 2024

Osaka also has her sights set on another grand slam, despite admitting her comeback didn’t play out how she thought it would.

“I’m delusional enough to think I could have won the tournament. I think my delusion is what allows me to win the tournaments,” she said after her round one loss.

“I think I just have to keep living day by day and training hard and playing a lot more matches, and hopefully my dreams will come true.”

She said she was disappointed, but wasn’t disappointed in herself.

“I don’t think that’s possible because I really feel like I couldn’t have done more with the circumstances,” she explained.

The new mum was criticised by tennis legend Martina Navratilova for not being in shape. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

In 2022, Osaka had parted ways with her coach Wim Fissette, who suspected she was lacking motivation, but the two have since reunited.

“They parted fairly mutually in 2022 after a run of bad results and he was having doubts about her motivation and feeling like he was a lot more ambitious than she was,” tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg told news.com.au last month.

The pair collaborated on the new book Naomi Osaka: Her journey to finding her power and her voice.

“She really was losing a bit of direction it seemed from all accounts in 2022,” he said.

“After she got the news that she was pregnant, she discovered a new sense of purpose and motivation and determination.

“Rather than using it as an excuse to leave the sport, which one might do potentially in that position, it redoubled her drive and intensity and commitment to tennis.”

Originally published as Aussie tennis great Alicia Molik rubbishes grim Naomi Osaka critique at Australian Open