Japan's former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka will play 20th-ranked Caroline Garcia of France in the Australian Open women's singles first round after the draw was made Thursday for tennis' first Grand Slam of the year.
The two-time winner of the Australian Open, Osaka gave birth to a daughter last July and will be taking part in her first Grand Slam since the 2022 U.S. Open.
The 26-year-old, currently ranked 833rd in the world, played in her first WTA Tour event in about 15 months in early January, going out in the second round of the Brisbane International.
Osaka has won four Grand Slam titles to date, claiming the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020 as well as the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. She won her only meeting with Garcia to date in straight sets in the 2021 Australian Open round of 64 en route to the championship.
In the men's draw, Japan's 58th-ranked Yoshihito Nishioka was pitted against eighth-ranked Holger Rune of Denmark.
