Naomi Osaka burst onto the tennis scene with a 2018 US Open championship win over Serena Williams. After winning four major titles in as many years, Osaka was anointed the next face of the game, on and off the court. 
But in the years since, the superstar of Japanese and Haitian descent stepped away from the game twice –– first in 2021 to prioritize her mental health, and then again early last year to welcome her first child. 
So today, on the eve of Osaka’s first grand slam match in 17 months, ESPN tennis writer D’arcy Maine brings us exclusive access inside Osaka’s comeback, examines how motherhood has changed her relationship with the sport, and discerns whether this Australian Open will see a return to greatness. 
D'arcy's full conversation with Naomi Osaka is available on ESPN's YouTube channel, and Clinton Yates' commentary on Osaka's withdrawal from the 2021 French Open is on Andscape.
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Is Naomi Osaka Ready for a Return to Greatness?

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The NBA’s conference finals are set after two game sevens on Sunday. In the east the Boston Celtics will take on the Indiana Pacers, while out west, we’ve got the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Dallas Mavericks.

It’s a star-studded affair, and frankly a window into the next chapter in the NBA. And the most important question is, who’s going on to the finals?

So today ESPN NBA writer Tim Bontemps says goodnight to the Knicks, and explains how the Pacers, Celtics, Mavs, and TWolves got to the final four.
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How We Got to the NBA Conference Finals

After a 30 point win over the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, the New York Knicks are knocking on the door to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the year 2000.

But we’ve already seen locale shift the momentum in this series, and with Game Six set to tip off tonight in Indianapolis, it could be a tall order for Tom Thibodeau and company to put the Pacers down in six games.

So today, ESPN senior writer Chris Herring explains how the Knicks got to this point despite so many injuries, and tells us who has to do what to lock in a date with the Boston Celtics, and a shot at an NBA Finals appearance.
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Can Jalen Brunson Will the Knicks Past the Pacers?

The Nuggets and Timberwolves Western Conference Semifinals is truly a tale of two series. Just about a week ago, it looked like young phenom Anthony Edwards was going to lead the Timberwolves past the defending champion Nuggets to the promised land after starting the postseason with six-straight wins.

But then, the inevitable happened. And it came in the form of 6-foot-11 three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic reminding everyone in the league who the defending champions are.

With all these ups and downs we turn to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and he shares what he’s seeing and hearing behind the scenes in this roller coaster of a series.

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How Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets Got Their Groove Back

The latest move for Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball tournament and scouting service, is an expected multi-year memorabilia deal with Fanatics. While on the surface, the deal means Fanatics would produce and distribute trading cards and collectibles for Perfect Game athletes, it also raises agents’ concerns about amateur players’ rights, especially if they end up playing professionally. 

Brittany Ghiroli’s reporting on the impending deal for The Athletic revealed that young baseball players have already been signing their rights away to Perfect Game. She joins us today to discuss why Perfect Game and Fanatics’ marriage is potentially harmful for players and how these companies’ machinations impact amateur baseball more largely.
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Kids are Signing Their Likeness Away to Youth Baseball Giant Perfect Game

The 2024 WNBA season begins tonight, and you’ve probably heard that women’s basketball is having a moment. But with ratings and excitement skyrocketing around the college game, and an incoming rookie class stepping into the W, bringing along more social media followers than ever, the question is: has that moment turned into an era?

Hall of Famer and ESPN basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo is here to tell us how the game is evolving right before our eyes, and what Caitlin Clark and the rest of this rookie class has in store for them. Plus, she breaks down whether or not we’re heading for a rematch of super teams from New York and Las Vegas.
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Is Naomi Osaka Ready for a Return to Greatness?

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