"Mums are back": Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Caroline Wozniacki's return thrills Casey Dellacqua as former champs gear up for Australian Open 2024

The 2024 Australian Open is expected to be the perfect platform for the return of Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, and Caroline Wozniacki to the first Grand Slam of the year.

The three women have not played in Melbourne for a while, and their return will be even more special because they all will play as mothers. Osaka welcomed her first child, baby girl Shai, with her boyfriend, rapper Cordae, in July. Kerber gave birth to her daughter in February. Meanwhile, Wozniacki has become mother of two with husband David Lee since her last Australian Open appearance in 2020.

Former Grand Slam doubles champion and Australian tennis star Casey Dellacqua recently reflected on the prospect of these three women playing at the Australian Open. The 38-year-old Australian can't wait to see the "mums" back on the court, especially comeback to tennis in Melbourne, where all three have had great successes.

"The mums are back. The mums are ready to be on court, and as you said, I think, those three players (Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, and Caroline Wozniacki) have all had such great success at the Australian Open, in particular. So I think that is a really exciting kind of pace," Dellacqua said on The AO Show podcast.

Osaka is a two-time champion in Melbourne, lifting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup in 2019 and 2021. Wozniacki won the Australian Open in 2018, and Kerber emerged victorious in 2016.

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Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber sign up to play United Cup 2024

Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka

Before stepping onto the Melbourne court, Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber could dazzle fans at the United Cup. The second edition of the international tournament will take place between December 29, 2023, and January 6, 2024, at RAC Arena in Perth and Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney.

Osaka and Kerber have signed up to represent Japan and Germany, respectively. Osaka will appear for Japan alongside Yoshihito Nishioka. Meanwhile, Kerber will play for Team Germany with Alexander Zverev. This is the first time Japan will play in the United Cup. Germany appeared at the inaugural edition last year but without Kerber.

Other players who have signed up so far for the 2024 United Cup include Taylor Fritz and Jessica Pegula for the USA, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari for Greece, Donna Vekic and Borna Coric for Croatia, and Felix Auger-Aliassime and Leylah Fernandez for Canada.

Great Britain's Cameron Norrie, Norway's Casper Ruud, Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova, Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, and Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia have also been named in the entry list. More players are expected to sign up before the registration deadline on October 17.