Japan's Naomi Osaka lost a close match to Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the second round of the Brisbane International tennis tournament Wednesday.
In the battle of former world No. 1s, Pliskova won 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 to see off Osaka, who was playing her first WTA Tour event in about 15 months after giving birth to her daughter last July.
Pliskova, currently ranked 39th, improved her head-to-head record against Osaka to 4-2.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, is scheduled to play at the Australian Open beginning Jan. 14 in Melbourne.
