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Osaka Prepares for Clay Battle Against Swiatek
11 May
Summary
- Osaka advanced to the Round of 16 with a dominant win.
- She sees matches against top players as motivation.
- Osaka aims to compete at the highest level post-pregnancy.
Naomi Osaka has advanced to the Round of 16 at the Italian Open, where she is scheduled to face Iga Swiatek. Osaka secured her spot in the fourth round following a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over Diana Shnaider in Rome. This marks another step in her steady improvement during the current clay-court season.
Osaka previously reached the Round of 16 at the Madrid Open, losing to Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set match. She expressed that competing against top-ranked players like Swiatek and Sabalenka is what she enjoys most, as these encounters provide significant motivation and push her performance.
The Japanese star reflected on a memorable past match against Swiatek at the 2024 French Open, which occurred after Osaka's return to professional tennis following the birth of her daughter. Although Swiatek won that encounter 7-6, 1-6, 7-5, Osaka's strong performance on clay, a surface she has historically found challenging, proved her capability to compete at the elite level after pregnancy.
Currently, Iga Swiatek leads their head-to-head record 2-1. Swiatek has a distinguished record at the French Open, having won the title four times in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
