Naomi Osaka waved to the crowd and walked back up the players' tunnel past the images of former champions after her Grand Slam comeback ended in a first-round loss at the Australian Open to 16th-seeded Caroline Garcia.
It was too soon into her comeback for the former two-time winner to have a chance of adding a third title in Melbourne this time.
Three matches into her return from 15 months off the tour, and six months after the birth of her daughter, Shai, Osaka lost 6-4, 7-6 (2) in a tight encounter at Rod Laver Arena on Monday night.
Garcia didn't give Osaka a look at a breakpoint in the match. Most of the rallies were short. The service holds were comfortable -- except for one in the first set. That was all the difference.
"I have a lot of respect for Naomi as a person and as a player -- 15 months she's been away," Garcia said. "I'm very glad to see her back. Six months after giving birth, she's playing quite amazing already. We have to watch out."
Osaka was one of three past Australian Open champions who returned to play at Melbourne Park for the first time as moms, joining 2016 winner Angelique Kerber and 2018 champion Caroline Wozniacki.
In the opening match on Rod Laver, U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff needed just 60 minutes to advance.
Gauff, with increased confidence in her serve thanks to some advice from Andy Roddick, began her bid for back-to-back Grand Slam singles titles with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
The 19-year-old American, who won her first major at the U.S. Open in September, said she was a little nervous to start.
"I think I did well returning, then I found my serve toward the end (of the set)," she said. "When I was nervous at 3-3, I told myself: `I feel good, I look good, so just have fun'. That was able to relax me a little bit'."
Gauff dropped just one point on her serve in the second set and credited Roddick, saying "he's probably one of the best servers in history."
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova didn't make it past the first round, losing 6-1, 6-2 to Dayana Yastremska and struggling with a hip injury.
A third 16-year-old reached the second round, with Mirra Andreeva beating 29-year-old Bernarda Pera 7-5, 6-2 to set up a second-round match with sixth-seeded Ons Jabeur, a three-time runner-up at Grand Slams.
Alina Korneeva and Brenda Fruhvirtova, both also 16, advanced after their first Grand Slam main draw wins on Sunday.
"I'm really excited for this," Andreeva said about playing Jabeur. "I said many times before that, she's the player that I was looking up to. I really like the way she plays her game and I'm sure it's going to be a great match."
Australia's newest top-10 player, Alex de Minaur, advanced after a truncated night match on Rod Laver Arena. He was leading 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic 6-7 (6), 6-3, 2-0 when the big-serving Canadian retired from the match with an injury.
Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 and 2022 finalist at Melbourne Park and at last year's U.S. Open, also advanced when his opponent retired from their match.
Medvedev had dropped the first set but was leading 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 1-0 when the 22-year-old Terence Atmane quit because of cramps.
"When I was feeling tired in the third set, I looked up the other end and saw he was cramping," Medvedev said. "The conditions were fine but it has not been hot these seven days and then it was hot today, so you get more stressed."
Stefanos Tsitsipas, who lost last year's Australian final to Novak Djokovic, advanced with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 win over Zizou Bergs.
Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open champion and three-time Grand Slam winner, was beaten 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 by Adrian Mannarino. That left 10-time winner Djokovic as the only Australian champion left in the men's draw.
Five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray lost to Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 and said it might be the last time he contests the season's first major.
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A group of Cape Breton firefighters are apologizing after four people showed up at a Halloween dance dressed in what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan costumes.
Several Liberal MPs are calling for a secret ballot vote on Justin Trudeau's leadership after he made clear he isn't going anywhere in spite of the calls from within his caucus to step down.
Prince William has opened up about how a powerful childhood experience with his brother and late mother helped shape his work in combatting homelessness.
Here's how retirees will get their funds from the federal benefit.
Marred by several delays, the trial of alleged human traffickers Lauriston and Amber Maloney finally got underway on Monday in a Bradford courtroom, with a woman who worked and lived with the couple testifying.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has granted Google a five-year exemption from the Online News Act, ordering it to pay $100 million to Canadian news outlets within 60 days.
A recall has been issued for gummy candies due to pieces of wood, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
An actor known for his roles in the television comedies 鈥淏ob's Burgers鈥 and 鈥淎rrested Development鈥 was sentenced on Monday to one year in prison for his part in a mob's attack on the U.S. Capitol nearly four years ago.
The family and community of a woman who died in a Halifax Walmart is still waiting for answers.
A group of Cape Breton firefighters are apologizing after four people showed up at a Halloween dance dressed in what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan costumes.
Marred by several delays, the trial of alleged human traffickers Lauriston and Amber Maloney finally got underway on Monday in a Bradford courtroom, with a woman who worked and lived with the couple testifying.
A Federal Court hearing got underway Monday to determine whether a group of Black public servants can proceed with a class-action lawsuit alleging discrimination in the federal government.
Health Minister Mark Holland said the federal government will launch consultations this fall about expanding the medical assistance in dying regime to include advanced requests.
A B.C. man who went missing nearly 15 years ago, while facing multiple sexual abuse allegations, has been declared dead by the court 鈥 which found he likely died when a fire engulfed the airplane hangar where he was last seen.
Democrats stepped up their attacks on Donald Trump on Monday, a day after a comedian opening a rally for the former president called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage."
Israeli lawmakers on Monday passed legislation that could threaten the work of the main UN agency providing aid to people in Gaza by barring it from operating on Israeli soil.
Police say they have identified a 'suspect vehicle' connected to incendiary devices that set fires in ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington state early Monday.
Nikki Haley received more Republican primary votes than anyone who challenged Donald Trump for this year's presidential nomination. She has said she's voting for him, and she released her delegates so they could support him at the Republican National Convention
An actor known for his roles in the television comedies 鈥淏ob's Burgers鈥 and 鈥淎rrested Development鈥 was sentenced on Monday to one year in prison for his part in a mob's attack on the U.S. Capitol nearly four years ago.
More than 2,000 soldiers and 500 police officers surrounded a populous neighborhood on the outskirts of El Salvador's capital on Monday in an effort to quash the remnants of gangs the president said were trying to set up shop in the area.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has granted Google a five-year exemption from the Online News Act, ordering it to pay $100 million to Canadian news outlets within 60 days.
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Transplant experts are seeing a spike in people revoking organ donor registrations, their confidence shaken by reports that organs were nearly retrieved from a Kentucky man mistakenly declared dead.
Ottawa said it will not challenge a Quebec law that allows people to request medical assistance in dying (MAID) in advance.
Canadian doctors are calling for employers and schools not to require sick notes when it comes to short-term minor illnesses.
An investigation by French newspaper Le Monde found that the highly confidential movements of U.S. President Joe Biden, presidential rivals Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and other world leaders can be easily tracked online through a fitness app that their bodyguards use.
A British man who used artificial intelligence to create images of child abuse was sent to prison for 18 years on Monday.
Renowned Canadian author Margaret Atwood, who is currently writing her memoir, said in an interview that she is too old to be worried about the rise of artificial intelligence and described herself as still having a 'good time' writing.
Adele and Celine Dion were each brought to tears after an emotional interaction during Adele's concert at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Colin Farrell took time out from his acting schedule on Sunday to complete the Dublin Marathon 鈥 while pushing an old friend in a wheelchair.
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Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said on Monday it sued Delta Air Lines in U.S. District Court in Georgia after a faulty software update prompted a global outage in July.
Volkswagen has informed employee representatives that it wants to close at least three plants in Germany, the head of the company's works council said Monday.
American Airlines is testing a new technology at three airports across the U.S. during the boarding process that aims to cut down on passengers who try to cut the line.
Prince William has opened up about how a powerful childhood experience with his brother and late mother helped shape his work in combatting homelessness.
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Manchester City midfielder Rodri wins the men's Ballon d'Or award for the world鈥檚 best soccer player.
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Dwyane Wade鈥檚 status as a Miami Heat legend was further cemented on Sunday as the franchise unveiled an eight-foot statue of the three-time NBA champion.
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A 17-year-old Ottawa driver was caught speeding nearly 90 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417.
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Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.
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New Brunswicker Jillea Godin鈥檚 elaborate cosplay pieces attract thousands to her online accounts, as well as requests from celebrities for their own pieces.
A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.
Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
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The Canadian Coast Guard鈥檚 Sir Wilfrid Laurier ship has made its safe return to Victoria, marking the conclusion of a year鈥檚 mission uncovering illegal ocean activity.
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An 'iconic' gorilla that has lived at the Toronto Zoo since it first opened in 1974 is experiencing health issues and will be kept from the public as he receives treatment.
A provincial income tax cut could be coming for Albertans, along with a reprieve at the pumps, in connection with the price of oil.
A Liberal member of Parliament says he's baffled by the Alberta United Conservative government's response to his private member's bill about pandemic preparedness.
Calgary鈥檚 Mission Bridge will be closed to motorists for several months as city crews complete rehabilitation work.
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Suspended Ottawa lawyer James Bowie has been ordered to pay $235,000 in damages to a former client after he repeatedly suggested she pay for his legal services with oral sex and released personal details about her online after the allegations were reported by 愛污传媒 Ottawa.
A new study suggests Montrealers are going downtown less often with four in 10 saying they go less often than before the pandemic.
Montreal's mayor says a welcome sign depicting a woman wearing a veil that adorns a lobby at city hall will be taken down in the name of secularism.
Ottawa said it will not challenge a Quebec law that allows people to request medical assistance in dying (MAID) in advance.
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission says it is evaluating the relocation of the Camrose Casino after the company that owns it was forced into receivership.
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A Bonnyville teacher has been accused of trying to lure a boy and his friends to her hotel room.
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Halifax Regional Police is investigating two break-and-enters in parking garages early Sunday morning.
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Manitoba's chief electoral officer is calling for a legal crackdown on disinformation about provincial elections, including the conduct of election officials and electronic vote-counting machines.
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A construction worker who was robbed, shot and left for dead last week remains in a Saskatoon hospital awaiting more surgeries.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford in Sudbury on Monday afternoon to make an infrastructure funding announcement at a wastewater facility.
A landlord in Sault Ste. Marie discriminated against a man who is deaf and has limited sight, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ruled.
Two people were busted in Nipissing First Nation trying to use fake money to buy machinery, Anishinabek Police Service says.
An Oxford County retirement residence at the centre of a fraud investigation has announced it will be closing its doors next month, leaving residents and their families with just a couple of weeks to find alternate accommodations.
According to a statement from the city on Monday, the projected tax increase for 2025 has come in at 7.4 per cent, which is down form the initial projection of 8.7 per cent.
A pickup truck and car collided in the Huron County village of Nile this afternoon, sending as many as five people to hospital.
A Midland senior has resorted to living in her shed out of desperation
Ontario鈥檚 Special Investigation Unit has not confirmed the identities of three people found dead inside a home in Huntsville as the community is left reeling.
Marred by several delays, the trial of alleged human traffickers Lauriston and Amber Maloney finally got underway on Monday in a Bradford courtroom, with a woman who worked and lived with the couple testifying.
Windsor police officers are asking for the public鈥檚 help to identify two suspects related to the death of a 69-year-old man in south-central Windsor.
A new study estimates $14 billion in milk has 鈥渄isappeared鈥 from Canada between 2012 and 2021.
Windsor city council's approval of a new storm water fee structure that will reduce bills for nearly every homeowner in the city, will also result in a 1,000 per cent increase for the Windsor Port Authority.
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The last of three recounts in British Columbia's closely contested provincial election has concluded with B.C. NDP candidate Dana Lajeunesse still leading in the Juan de Fuca-Malahat riding.
More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Food Banks Canada's annual Hunger Count report shows more Canadians than ever are resorting to food banks.
RCMP say a Medicine Hat man was killed in a collision between an SUV and a motorcycle in southeast Alberta on Sunday evening.
A tentative agreement has been reached between the City of Lethbridge and more than 900 employees belonging to CUPE Local 70.
A landlord in Sault Ste. Marie discriminated against a man who is deaf and has limited sight, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ruled.
One person has been charged after police in the Sault received a report of someone asleep at the wheel last weekend in a parking lot on Bay Street.
Ontario Provincial Police say three people have been charged with arson following a fire at a Sioux Lookout apartment building Friday night.
Teams are facing off in a new eastern Newfoundland hockey league aiming to bring competitive play 鈥 and a few extra years on the ice 鈥 for young women in the province.
Investigators found the remains of a 77-year-old American man on Wednesday at the scene of a fire that destroyed a hotel in western Newfoundland earlier on the weekend.
Police in western Newfoundland say a 77-year-old man visiting the province from Kansas is missing after a fire at a hotel in Deer Lake, N.L.
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