By Richard Paglaro | @TennisNow | Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Photograph credit score: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Naomi Osaka wears headphones for the walk-on and is tuned right into a signature sound throughout play.
The previous world No. 1 returned to her favored onerous courts in Toronto right this moment trying like Naomi Osaka and sounding like Iga Swiatek.
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Osaka sped via seven of the final eight video games sweeping two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur 6-3, 6-1 in her Toronto opener.
4-time Grand Slam champion Osaka received 20 of 26 first-serve factors and didn’t face a break level in a one hour, 11-minute victory.
Afterward, Osaka she’s striving to emulate Swiatek’s squeaky sneaker pontificate the onerous court docket to maintain as a reminder to maintain her toes energetic.
“I feel throughout these, like the primary few tournaments, I used to be sort of counting on, like, my expertise and I suppose my, like what I knew till that time, however tennis is evolving and everybody will get higher,” Osaka mentioned. “I actually wished to observe the gamers and study from them. I used to be telling you guys final time, however I am actually making an attempt to, like, do the squeaky toes like Iga, and I feel I did it fairly properly right this moment, so fortunately that is understanding.
Transitioning from Roland Garros’ crimson clay the place Osaka misplaced to fellow former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber on the Paris Olympics to Toronto’s blue onerous court docket is a welcome transition for Osaka, who calls the floor “my treasured onerous court docket.”
All 4 of Osaka’s Grand Slam titles have come on onerous court docket and he or she appeared proper at residence right this moment in Toronto enjoying her model of attacking baseline tennis.
“I’d say my favourite factor about onerous court docket, I do not know, it is quick, nevertheless it’s not too quick,” Osaka advised the media in Toronto. “Like, I really feel like on grass it is one way or the other a bit of bit reactive, and I clearly could not get used to that fast sufficient, however on onerous it sort of offers me not less than a second to, I suppose, construct up the purpose.
“I additionally really feel like which may even be the explanation why I did higher on clay versus grass, simply because I do fairly like constructing the purpose.”
A powerful facet of Osaka’s win over Jabeur right this moment was her first-serve proportion was solely 45 p.c, however she backed her second serve solidly successful 58 p.c of second-serve factors.
Subsequent up for Osaka is Elise Mertens, who defeated Katie Volynets 6-3, 6-1.
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