Naomi Osaka’s comeback season has been pocked by fits and starts as she reacquaints herself with her athleticism and competitive fire. She hasn’t played especially good tennis, but her body language, frequent smiles and playful interactions with fans indicate her state of mind is much better than it was when she walked away from the sport in 2021.

On a conference call to promote the upcoming U.S. Open in New York, 18-time major champion Chris Evert openly wondered whether Osaka can compete anywhere close to the level she established when she won the major in 2018 and 2020.

Is Osaka too content?

“She’s going through some doubtful times,” Evert said. “We’ll see if she can get that magic, because it is the U.S. Open. She has won this title, so let’s see if she can get that magic going. I think her story, her journey, remains to be seen.”

A year after Osaka gave birth to her daughter and eight months into her return to competitive tennis, the 26-year-old who was born in Japan and raised on Long Island seems intent on enjoying the return to Flushing, regardless of the results. She participated in a recent summit in Queens on athletes’ mental health, and said her goal was to feel gratitude for the opportunities she’s had and to take it easy on herself.