Osaka’s Purpose: Squeak Like Swiatek

 By Richard Paglaro | @TennisNow | Wednesday, August 7, 2024Photo credit score: Rob Newell/CameraSport Naomi Osaka wears headphones for the walk-on and is tuned right into a signature sound throughout play.

The previous world No. 1 returned to her favored onerous courts in Toronto as we speak wanting like Naomi Osaka and sounding like Iga Swiatek.

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Osaka sped via seven of the final eight video games sweeping two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur 6-3, 6-1 in her Toronto opener.

4-time Grand Slam champion Osaka gained 20 of 26 first-serve factors and didn’t face a break level in a one hour, 11-minute victory.

Afterward, Osaka she’s striving to emulate Swiatek’s squeaky sneaker hold forth the onerous courtroom to maintain as a reminder to maintain her toes lively.

“I believe throughout these, like the primary few tournaments, I used to be form of counting on, like, my expertise and I assume my, like what I knew till that time, however tennis is evolving and everybody will get higher,” Osaka mentioned. “I actually wished to look at the gamers and be taught from them. I used to be telling you guys final time, however I am actually making an attempt to, like, do the squeaky toes like Iga, and I believe I did it fairly properly as we speak, so fortunately that is figuring out.

Transitioning from Roland Garros’ crimson clay the place Osaka misplaced to fellow former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber on the Paris Olympics to Toronto’s blue onerous courtroom is a welcome transition for Osaka, who calls the floor “my treasured onerous courtroom.”

All 4 of Osaka’s Grand Slam titles have come on onerous courtroom and she or he seemed proper at house as we speak in Toronto enjoying her model of attacking baseline tennis.

“I might say my favourite factor about onerous courtroom, I do not know, it is quick, nevertheless it’s not too quick,” Osaka instructed the media in Toronto. “Like, I really feel like on grass it is one way or the other just a little bit reactive, and I clearly could not get used to that fast sufficient, however on onerous it form of provides me no less than a second to, I assume, construct up the purpose.

“I additionally really feel like which may even be the rationale why I did higher on clay versus grass, simply because I do fairly like constructing the purpose.”

A formidable side of Osaka’s win over Jabeur as we speak was her first-serve share was solely 45 %, however she backed her second serve solidly successful 58 % of second-serve factors.

Subsequent up for Osaka is Elise Mertens, who defeated Katie Volynets 6-3, 6-1.