Three first-time mums playing at the 2024 Australian Open

• The 2024 Australian Open is welcoming back three first-time mums; Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber
• The trio of former world No. 1s are expected to participate in the main draw of the year’s first Grand Slam
• Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley announced that two-time champion Naomi Osaka

The 2024 Australian Open is welcoming back three first-time mums; Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber.

After skipping this year’s competition, the trio of former world No. 1s are expected to participate in the main draw of the year’s first Grand Slam.

At his customary press conference in October, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley announced that two-time champion Naomi Osaka, 2016 champion Angelique Kerber, and 2018 champion Caroline Wozniacki will all return to the women’s tournament for the 2019 Australian Open.

Osaka, a four-time major champion, withdrew from the 2023 Australian Open after revealing her first pregnancy on the night of the competition. In July, the Japanese celebrity gave birth to a girl named Shai.

Caroline Wozniacki. Photo/CNN

While this was going on, Kerber announced her retirement from tennis in August 2022, the same month she found out she was expecting her daughter Liana, who was born in February.

However, Kerber is set to make a Grand return to tennis in 2024. After her well-publicized retirement following the 2020 Australian Open, Wozniacki gave birth to two children.

One of them is Olivia was born in June 2021, and James who was born in October 2022.

Her return to tennis was announced in June of this year. The Dane made her comeback during the North American hard-court swing, making it as far as the US Open’s fourth round before falling to eventual winner Coco Gauff.

“We’re gonna welcome back players we know that this is their favourite place to play. But not only that, they’ve had great success here. Naomi Osaka, really excited about her coming back. Angie Kerber, who’s been out of it. And they’ve all given birth to their first child and really excited for them,” Tiley said in his address.

He added, ““And of course, Caroline Wozniacki, who won her only Grand Slam here at the Australian Open, very exciting moment for her. So great to have them back and we know they’ve all been training and ready to play, and we’ll give it a great start in January.”

Angelique Kerber. Photo/ Porsche Newsroom.

Wozniacki will likely get a wildcard, while Osaka and Kerber will enter the Australian Open main event using their protected rankings.

Tatjana Maria, Elina Svitolina, and Victoria Azarenka, who are all moms now will also compete at the Australian Open in 2024.

Casey Dellacqua, a former Grand Slam doubles winner and tennis analyst, is thrilled to see Osaka, Kerber, and Wozniacki back on the court.

The trio hold a special spark in tennis that has been missing for a while and their return is the missing part of the puzzle in WTA Tour 2024.

Osaka, Kerber, and Wozniacki all ruled the Australian Open back in the day and having them back.