Naomi Osaka performed well to overcome Lucia Bronzetti yesterday, but the worst is well and truly yet to come.
Still nursing her comeback to tennis ever since giving birth last year, her refreshed mindset on the sport is so enjoyable to watch. Her happiness whilst playing the sport is abundantly visible, and this translated into some sparkling tennis.
Especially in the first set, her Italian opponent simply could not get near her.
But despite eventually squeezing past in narrow fashion, 6-1, 4-6, 7-5, Iga Świątek‘s presence has been looming over her draw like a dark could.
However, she has hilariously admitted that she didn’t even know her schedule until recently, revealing how she was told that the world number one was next on the list.
Naomi Osaka previews clash with Iga Swiatek
Speaking to the French Open press after her hard-fought win just yesterday, the Japanese tennis star revealed how she found out that Swiatek would await her in the next round.
The 26-year-old was typically full of energy and laughs, stating: ’Honestly, I didn’t really know, but then after, I was, like, why does everyone keep asking me about this draw?
‘Then I knew that I was in the top half, so jokingly, I was, like, ‘Well, it’s not like I’m playing Iga. Then everyone got quiet. So I was like, ‘Oh.’ & But yeah, the next round is the only round I know, so that’s all I’m going to focus on.
‘I’m honestly really excited. I watched her a lot when I was pregnant. And honestly, I think it’s an honour to play her in the French Open, because she’s won more than once here, for sure. It’s a very big honour and challenge for me.’
Naomi Osaka was in fine form against Lucia Bronzetti
Naomi Osaka will actually mark a unique challenge for Swiatek, and across just three sets it could prove a hugely difficult match for the seemingly unstoppable Polish machine.
The clash will mark the meeting of two French Open champions, one former and one defending, so both know exactly what it takes to lift this infamous title.
In yesterday’s match against Bronzetti, Osaka exhibited the thunderous highs and the devastating lows that still remain in her game, unsurprisingly given she is still in the infancy of her comeback.
Regardless, if she can recapture the level from the first set and maintain it for a two-set period, Swiatek might actually struggle with the power and precision of Osaka’s best tennis.
It is still hard to bet against Swiatek though, who has been phenomenal on the dirt this season thus far and eased past her first-round opponent earlier today.
Most pundits agree that she is nailed on to at least reach the final though.
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