Champion mums an interesting Aussie Open sidelight

SYDNEY—One of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff look most likely to add to their Grand Slam collection in this year’s Australian Open, but a clutch of returning champion mums spearheaded by Naomi Osaka could make things interesting.Last year, Victoria Azarenka and Sofia Kenin were the only former women’s champions in the draw at Melbourne Park, but there will be six when the 2024 tournament kicks off on Sunday as Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki all return.The returning trio and Azarenka will be accompanied by their children as they look to match the feat achieved by Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1977 and Kim Clijsters in 2011 by holding aloft the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup as mothers.

Although Wozniacki and Kerber have looked competitive since their respective returns, Osaka appears the most likely to be challenging at the business end of the year’s first Grand Slam despite more than a year on the sidelines.

Osaka is the youngest of the returning champions and the 26-year-old showed in the Brisbane International she still has the weapons that earned her the 2019 and 2021 Melbourne titles. —REUTERS