Naomi Osaka admits in recent months she has been monitoring the progress of her next opponent at the Washington Open.
The third seed booked a place in the semi-finals with a comeback 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who beat Emma Navarro in the previous round. It is the first time Osaka has reached the last four of a WTA hardcourt event since the US Open last year. She has won four Grand Slams during her career, which were all on this surface.
Osaka will next play rising star Alexandra Eala from the Philippines, who downed Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-4. The upcoming all-Asian clash will be the first Tour-level meeting between the two.
“I’ve never played Alex before, but obviously I’ve seen some of her matches,” Osaka said after beating Cocciaretto. “She’s had an incredible year so far. Honestly, playing her would be really fun for me, just to get that knowledge about how she is.”
The former world No.1 continued her praise of Eala and her strong fanbase. The 21-year-old is the only player from her country to have a singles ranking on the WTA Tour.
“I remember watching one of her matches last year at the US Open, and it was kind of mind-blowing,” Osaka commented. “I didn’t think tennis could have an atmosphere like that. It almost felt more like a basketball game.
“I’ve kind of routinely wanted to check in on her—not personally—but just to keep following her story and see how she’s growing,” she added.
At Wimbledon, Eala was the first Filipino in the Open Era to reach the fourth round, which was later recognised in her country with a presidential citation being issued to the tennis player from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“I’m super excited. I hope it lives up to the expectations,” Eala said of the upcoming clash in her post-match press conference. “I’m definitely going to do everything I can and leave it all on court, like always. Of course, Naomi is an amazing player, so it’s going to be a tough match for me.”
This week, Osaka is seeking her first WTA title above the 250 level since winning the 2021 Australian Open. Meanwhile, Eala is hoping to win her first in her career.
