Osaka outlasts Stephens in 3 sets in return to Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Naomi Osaka has made a winning return to the BNP Paribas Open. She rallied to beat Sloane Stephens 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in a first-round meeting of former major champions. Osaka won Indian Wells in 2018. She’s back in the desert for the first time since 2019. She hasn’t played a tournament since January when she lost in the round of 32 at the Australian Open. Osaka only played a handful of events last year and as a result her ranking has dropped to 78th in the world. Stephens lost for the first time in three meetings with Osaka.