Japan's

After the Antwerp stage and two matches in London, India is placed fourth in the points table with 24 points from 14 matches.

Naomi Osaka plays a forehand return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Mark Baker) Japan's Naomi Osaka plays a forehand return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Naomi Osaka vs Caroline Garcia is an unlikely storyline ahead of the season-opening Grand Slam. They are not at their best anymore, and those who follow sports religiously will wonder about the expected outcome of their Australian Open 2025, women's singles first-round meeting at Melbourne Park on Monday (January 13, 2025). (Full Coverage | More Tennis News)

The backstory is even more intriguing. In the words of Garcia, it's a new year but the same draw and "this is starting to be a classic". Osaka and Garcia, who found time to have a candid chat not so long ago, are meeting in the Melbourne first round for the second successive year. In 2024, they also faced off a couple more times, and are lining up for their fifth career meeting.

Osaka, 27, lost to Garcia in the Melbourne opener last year which was her first Grand Slam match since becoming a mother. Garcia, who hosts Tennis Insider Club, revealed that she now knows Osaka better after the Japanese appeared on her podcast.

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New year, same draw 🔥💣@AustralianOpen This is starting to be a classic @naomiosaka 😂

— Caroline Garcia (@CaroGarcia) January 9, 2025

For Osaka, there will be no ill will toward her French opponent even if she loses to the Frenchwoman again. "I really respect her a lot. I feel the same energy coming from her," Osaka told reporters on Friday. "I also like the fact that we were born on the same day, so we have the same birthdays. I can't ever have bad blood with a fellow Libra."

Despite her assurance of playing in the season-opening Grand Slam, there is big doubt about Osaka's match fitness. The 2019 and 2021 champion was forced to quit her Auckland ASB Classic final against Clara Tauson due to an abdominal injury.

“The MRI, it wasn’t fantastic but it wasn’t bad at the same time,” Osaka added. “So saying all that, I’m pretty optimistic about playing my match. I mean, for sure I’m going to play my match."

Garcia, 31, reached fourth-round in the 2018 and 2023 editions, and semi-finals in 2017 in women's doubles with compatriot Kristina Mladenovic.

Both Osaka and Cargia are unseeded this termp333 casino, and are in the top half which also features top-ranked A Sabalenka, third seed Coco Gauff and fourth seed Zheng Qinwen.