Naomi Osaka and Caroline Garcia pack a punch on the tennis court, overpowering opponents when on song.

They have both featured at the top of the game, with Osaka landing two Australian Open titles to comprise half of her Grand Slam haul, while Garcia formerly resided inside the top five in the rankings. While currently unseeded and outside the top 50, they no doubt merited a spot at Rod Laver Arena in Monday’s night session.

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Away from the court, similarities arise, too.

They have both taken breaks from the game for their mental health, and drew closer after Osaka appeared on Garcia’s podcast last year.

Osaka couldn’t quite believe that they were drawn to face one another in the first round at Melbourne Park for a second successive year, but this time the 27-year-old from Japan prevailed, 6-3 3-6 6-3.  

“I’m just really grateful to play at Rod Laver again,” Osaka said in her on-court interview.

“I was a bit shocked when I saw the schedule. A really big honour for me.”

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A resident of Los Angeles, hit hard by wildfires in the past week, Osaka revealed her home wasn’t out of harm’s way.

“I was watching the fire map and the fire is three blocks from my house,” said Osaka. “So, I had someone go and get my daughter’s birth certificate because I didn’t know what would happen if that burned down. Sending all my love to LA.”