Osaka on Dealing with Swiatek: Huge Honor and Problem

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, Could 26, 2024 Proud mother Naomi Osaka is celebrating daughter Shai’s first child steps.

Osaka is happy about an impending main leap: the prospect of enjoying world No.1 Iga Swiatek within the Roland Garros second spherical.

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World No. 134 Osaka tamed spiking nerve and a biting breeze, recovering from dropping 5 video games in a row, to beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 in at this time’s French Open opener and earn her first main match win for the reason that 2022 Australian Open.

It’s Osaka’s first main match win since changing into a mother—she gave beginning to child Shai on July seventh—and units up a possible blockbuster conflict of four-time Grand Slam champions within the second spherical.

If reigning champion Swiatek defeats 148th-ranked French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean in her opener, then we’ll see the present and former world No. 1 champions sq. off in spherical at this time.

Osaka stated will probably be “a really massive honor and problem” to face clay queen Swiatek on her finest floor.

“I am actually actually excited,” Osaka stated when requested concerning the prospect of enjoying Swiatek. “I watched her so much after I was pregnant. “And actually, I believe it is an honor to play her within the French Open, as a result of she’s gained greater than as soon as right here, for positive. I will, it is like a really massive honor and problem for me.”

The highest-seeded Swiatek carries an imposing 77-10 profession clay-court file into her Roland Garros title protection, together with an outstanding 14-1 clay mark this season capturing back-to-back WTA 1000 championships in Madrid and Rome.

If the champions showdown comes off as anticipated, will probably be their third profession assembly.

Of their final conflict, Swiatek swept Osaka 6-4, 6-0 within the 2022 Miami Open ultimate. 

Although Osaka has by no means contested a clay-court ultimate, she stated she will not be in awe of Swiatek’s excellent clay credentials in the event that they face off.

“Um, in a bizarre manner, I positively do really feel prefer it’s a take a look at to see the place I am at, however I would not say I’ve low expectations of myself,” Osaka stated of a Swiatek showdown. “I am an individual that sort of thinks that I can win each match that I play. That is sort of gotten me this far.”

The 26-year-old Osaka is a scholar of the game who as soon as dissuaded Swiatek from pursuing greater schooling.

After the second-seeded Swiatek streaked by way of seven straight video games crushing Osaka 6-4, 6-0 within the 2022 Miami Open ultimate, the four-time main champion recalled breaking bread with a teenage Swiatek and inspiring her to proceed competing on the professional tour fairly than go to school. 

“A pair years in the past, I had a dinner along with her in Australia, and he or she was telling me like she may go to school. I used to be telling her, Do not do this,” Osaka advised the media in Miami. “It has been actually cool to look at her develop. For me, I believe probably the most spectacular factor is like having the ability to string collectively these two wins in a row.

“Not even back-to-back-to-back wins however going from Indian Wells and like even attending to the quarters of this match to me could be spectacular, as a result of I personally know, like, how tiring it was. I needed to play Serena proper after I gained Indian Wells, after which I used to be utterly useless after that. However she’s like, it appears she retains going. In order that’s actually superb to see. I believe that she’s like actually superb for the game.”

Although Swiatek is a powerful favourite in the event that they meet within the second spherical, it could possibly be particular for the game and main step ahead for Osaka a bit of greater than eight months after giving beginning.

Picture credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty