After lifting the biggest title of her life at the age of 20, Japan’s Naomi Osaka is set to face another milestone match in her career at the Miami Open.
Osaka, who is currently at a ranking high of 22nd, stunned a quartet of top players to win the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Becoming only the third unseeded player to do so in the tournament’s history. On route to the title, she scored comprehensive wins over Maria Sharapova, Karolina Pliskova, Simona Halep and Daria Kasatkina. Against all of those players, she dropped eight or less games.
“I feel like I have made it my goal to be more focused every match this year, so I think it’s paid off.” Osaka said about her recent surge in form.
The next test for Osaka wil come in the form of 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams, who has been drawn to play her in the first round in Miami. Williams is continuing her comeback to the tour after giving birth to a baby girl last September. With a potential blockbuster clash looming, the Japanese player recent spoke about her desire to take on Serena. Naming her in her top 3 dream opponents alongside sister Venus and Sharapova.
“I ticked two people off so now I’m just waiting to play Serena.” She said after her first round win at Indian Wells.
During last year’s Wimbledon Championships, Osaka cited the Williams sisters as her inspiration growing up. Although she admits that Serena was the bigger idol for her out of the two.
“I’m kind of more of a Serene person. I mean, I like super love Venus, too, but Serena was, like, my No. 1,” she told reporters last July.
“I was screaming at my TV, like, Come on, Serena, you can do it.
“I remember like when me and my sister used to train, like, at public courts and stuff, random people would be, like, Are you the next Venus and Serena? I feel like they had a great role in us growing up. I always wanted to be Serena.”
The winner of the match will then face fourth seed Elina Svitolina. A player who has already won two WTA titles this season.
In this year’s draw Simona Halep, Caroline Wozniacki and Garbine Muguruza are the top three seeds. Defending champion Johanna Konta is seeded 11th.
