TORONTO 鈥� Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will enter the National Bank Open women's main draw as a wild card.
The 26-year-old former world No. 1 returned to tennis in January after taking a break for the birth of her first child.
"I'm thrilled to be playing at the National Bank Open this year,鈥� Osaka said in a statement. 鈥淭he city of Toronto has an amazing energy and I can't wait to be back there. I'm incredibly grateful for the wild-card opportunity and look forward to playing in front of the passionate Canadian fans."
Tennis Canada also announced Wednesday that Vancouver's Rebecca Marino and Toronto's Marina Stakusic are also wild-card recipients, joining Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont.
The 33-year-old Marino and 18-year-old Stakusic were part of the Canadian team that won the Billie Jean King Cup in November.
"We couldn't be happier to provide this opportunity to two well-deserving Canadians who we know fans will be excited to see in action," NBO Toronto tournament director Karl Hale said. "And, to welcome a player of Naomi's quality and star power back to Toronto is going to be a real treat for everyone.鈥�
Eugenie Bouchard and Carson Branstine, both of Montreal, and Toronto's Katherine Sebov secured qualifying wild cards. The final qualifying wild card will be awarded to the winner of a pre-qualifying draw.
Qualification is set for Aug. 4 and 5 at Sobeys Stadium, followed by main-draw action.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2024.
The Canadian Press
