- Naomi Osaka battled it out with Iga Swiatek in the Miami Open finals
- The four-time Grand Slam champion may have lost to Swiatek but there were plenty of things to take away from the tournament
- This is the highest level she has gotten to since her last successful match in 2020
Iga Swiatek may have beaten Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open but she [Osaka] made a bold statement about her tennis comeback.
The four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka was beaten in the Miami Open final but there were plenty of things to take away from the tournament.
Despite reaching her first final since the 2021 Australian Open, Osaka couldn’t overcome new world No.1 Iga, who beat her in straight sets.
Swiatek broke in the fifth game of the first set and then cruised to a 6-4, 6-0 victory.
Although she was defeated in straight sets in the first set, Osaka made a solid effort in the second and won her third ranking tournament this year.
Since retiring in 2021, Osaka has had to come to terms with the pressure that comes with the game.
After a terrible 2021, Osaka fell to world No. 77 in the WTA rankings, but she is expected to rise to No. 36 following her performance in Florida.
Naomi Osaka. Photo/Eurosport
WHAT DID NAOMI OSAKA THINK OF HER MIAMI OPEN PERFORMANCE?
Speaking after the Miami Open, Osaka said was grateful for the support by her fans throughout the tournament.
“Firstly I wanna dedicate this one to all the people who support me and my fans, I haven’t been in this position for a little minute.
“I know this isn’t the outcome you guys wanted but I had a lot of fun and I’ll work hard to have more opportunities like this again.”
“If I could be a little bit more selfish I want to thank my team, they’re the ones that keep pushing me forward They’re the rock that stays by my side. Just to be in a final again means a lot to me. Thank you, my guys.”
Osaka lauded the Pole for an amazing game. She recalled moments back when she had dinner with Iga in Australia. Osaka described ‘Iga’ as an amazing person.
WHY IS IT A BIG DEAL THAT NAOMI OSAKA GOT TO MIAMI OPEN FINALS?
Getting to the Miami Open finals is a big deal for Osaka after a tormenting 2021 season. She took a break from tennis after losing to Leylah Fernandez of Canada at Flushing Meadows.
Then, she explained that her loss was only exacerbating the mental pressure that she had been battling for months – since the French Open and Wimbledon.
The 24-year-old Japanese had earlier disclosed that she was battling anxiety and depression.
Osaka withdrew from the French Open in 2021 in order to focus on her mental health. This followed a public spat over mandated press conferences at Grand Slam tournaments, claiming that they were taking an undue toll on her mental health.
In 2022, she returned to the Australian Open, although she was knocked out in the round of 32.
She was eliminated in the third round of the Australian Open by hard-hitting American Amanda Anisimova. The four-time Grand Slam champion, who returned to competitive tennis for the Australian summer after an extended absence to work on her mental health in 2021, was philosophical when asked about her loss.
Osaka remarked that she fought for every point of the tournament. She maintained that the loss wouldn’t bring her down. She further said that she cannot be sad over every match she loses because ‘she is not God’.
While winning the Grand Slam would be a great accomplishment, she adds, she can’t help but think of herself as a person who strives to win on a daily basis.
In the wake of her early withdrawal from the Australian Open the Japanese tennis sensation said that she will temporarily stop using some social media platforms.
In March, Osaka was knocked out of the Indian Wells after getting wild card to BNP Paribas Open. Thus, her spectacular rise at the Miami Open is plausible.
HOW DOES IGA SWIATEK FEEL AFTER WINNING MIAMI OPEN?
Naomi Osaka with Iga Swiatek. Photo/CNN
In the first three WTA 1000 events of the season, Swiatek has won all 17 matches she’s played, extending her winning streak to a career-high.
For the first time ever, Swiatek has won three WTA 1000 singles titles in a single season, joining Serena Williams (2013) and Caroline Wozniacki (2010), who each won three trophies in a row at WTA 1000 Doha, Indian Wells, and Miami.
The first three WTA 1000 tournaments of a season have never been won by the same player. The win was her fourth in the WTA 1000 and her sixth overall in the singles tournaments.
She credits her success to learning more about herself and being more confident.
“I learned a lot about myself, that I can keep going, and really I don’t need to feel like 100 percent on points to win matches against great players,” Swiatek said
“I can trust myself a little bit more right now. I really used that streak to have more confidence, and also the ranking.”
Swiatek lauded Osaka for a great match saying she loved everything about it.
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