Navratilova believes in Osaka: "It's clear that she wants to get back to the level she was at".

The Australian Open 2025 begins this Sunday. The first Grand Slam of the season will keep tennis fans busy for the next two weeks.

Now it's time for the predictions, and one tennis legend has agreed to play along. Martina Navratilova hopes to see Naomi Osaka, who will face Caroline Garcia in the first round, do well in Melbourne.

"Naomi Osaka has won four Grand Slams with her power-based game. She's been back for over a year, and it's hard to come back physically and emotionally when you're still looking for confidence.

She won the first set of the Auckland final last week before retiring with an abdominal injury.

Prior to this setback, she could suddenly be seen regaining her sensations in her game. Osaka said she was ready to play despite her injury, but her first round won't be easy.

She inherited Caroline Garcia, who was the match that most impressed me at the time of the draw. Naomi is ranked 50th in the world, but we know she's better than that.

If she's recovered from her injury and is in good health, I hope she'll do well in Australia.

She's on a good run at the moment, and you can clearly feel that she wants to get back to the level she was at before her pregnancy," Navratilova told Tennis Up To Date.