Home favourite Naomi Osaka will defend her title at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo next month, organisers said on Friday, as the tournament returns for the first time since the pandemic.
Four players currently ranked inside the top 10 will compete in the September 17-25 event, including two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza and fellow Spaniard and world number four Paula Badosa.
Japan’s Osaka beat Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the 2019 final but the tournament was cancelled for the past two years because of coronavirus.
Osaka, a four-time major winner and former world number one, has slipped to 44 in the rankings and lost in the first round of the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Masters last week.
Former champion Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic also returns to Tokyo, while world number six Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Russia’s world number 10 Daria Kasatkina make their tournament debuts.
Author
World Cup News
-
Football
/ 1 week agoMessi’s 2022 World Cup jerseys predicted to top $10 mln at auction
A set of six jerseys that Lionel Messi wore during Argentina’s victorious 2022 World...
By AFP -
Football
/ 4 weeks agoSaudi ready for summer or winter World Cup in 2034: FA chief
Saudi Arabia is prepared to host the 2034 World Cup in summer or winter,...
By AFP -
Football
/ 4 weeks agoUpdate: Saudi Arabia only bidder for 2034 World Cup
Saudi Arabia is in line to host the 2034 World Cup after FIFA announced...
By AFP -
Football
/ 4 weeks agoRights groups seek guarantees as Saudi closes in on 2034 World Cup
Rights groups called for “binding commitments” from World Cup host nations after Australia opted...
By AFP