Naomi Osaka has cruised into the Round of 32 of the Miami Open, earning a hugely impressive straight-sets victory over Elina Svitolina.
The 26-year-old, who has enjoyed a steady improvement with each passing month since her return from maternity leave, will now have quietly confident aspirations of tasting silverware once again as her level continues to improve.
And her latest comments only serve to solidify that goal.
But what message did Osaka send out to the rest of the players on the WTA? We take a closer look…
Naomi Osaka sends message to all WTA players
As outlined by Tennis.com, Osaka would not only give praise to herself for a comprehensive but also look ahead to her next match, another clash with Caroline Garcia.
She stated: ‘I definitely do think it was one of my best matches, if not the best match (of the year). But I also want myself to play better and better every match.
‘For me going into the match, I knew that she’s a great player and I had no choice but to play really well if I wanted a chance to win.’
The Japanese tennis player then moved on to her upcoming opponent: ‘Man, we’re friends at this point! We’re just, you know, work buddies. We see each other all the time. It’s funny. I just want to be seeded so I can just stop playing her, like…’.
This comes after Andy Roddick made a bold prediction for her 2024 season too.
Naomi Osaka vs Caroline Garcia in 2024… Part 3
Well, having emphatically brushed aside Svitolina, Osaka will be hoping to replicate that feat again and bypass the French star she is set to face.
This will be their third meeting of 2024, and their fourth ever, with Osaka having come out on top in two of those three matches, the latest of which came last month in Doha.
So, with both having been afforded ample time to work one another out, this has the potential to be one of the most intriguing clashes yet, with a spot in the quarter-finals up for grabs.
Last match, Osaka was hugely impressive, and despite the scoreline staying so close she seemed to recapture her serve and started feeling her way into the match with her typically powerful strikes that have been missed in her absence.
Garcia will have to be alert to stop this impressive Osaka run, but it certainly marks one of today’s more interesting match-ups.
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