Naomi Osaka is looking forward to the WTA Finals in Shenzhen with a positive mindset. The Japanese believe she has learned from her past mistakes and is ready to pull off a fantastic performance during the last tournament of the season.
The 21-year-old busted into the world of tennis in 2018 after beating Serena Williams to the US Open. The victory meant she qualifies for her first tour championships that were held in Singapore. Unfortunately, she started on a wrong foot, bowing out after three defeats in the group stage.
Naomi Osaka bounced back with a bang
After crashing out in the initial stages of the Singapore tour, Naomi Osaka made an unexpected return in the 2019 Australian Open, in which she won the tournament. Furthermore, she won the Japan Pan Pacific Open and China Open. She ended up finishing the season at position three.
The Japanese believe that her performance last year has been a learning curve for her. Currently, Osaka thinks she has some knowledge of how to play the round-robin. However, it is a format she has not played ever since she was aged around eight to ten years.
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Naomi’s opponents in WTA Finals in Shenzhen
Osaka is set to participate in the WTA Finals in Shenzhen from 27th October to 3rd November. She will have to face some fierce competitors as she aims to win the $4.75 million meant for the winner of the tournament.
The Japanese will be facing the current world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, Belinda Bencic, and Petra Kvitova during the Red Group matches. Notably, the Australian will be featuring in WTA finals in Shenzhen for the first time. Other debutants include Bianca Andreescu and Belinda Bencic
Naomi Osaka will be coming up against Kvitova, whom she managed to beat in the Australian Open’s final. The match against the Czech tennis player will be her first group stage match in Shenzhen. Speaking ahead of the game, Naomi Osaka claimed that it would be fun playing against Petra Kvitova. Besides, she spoke highly of her, regarding the two-time Wimbledon champion as a rare sort of player who treats her opponents nicely irrespective of the match outcome.
Osaka Hopeful ahead of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen
Osaka will be looking forward to an excellent performance in Shenzhen. She hopes her successful run in WTA’s Asian swing will continue in this upcoming WTA Finals tournament. The Japanese will be relying on her incredible on-court discipline as a secret weapon of winning the title. Last but not least, she is wary of her opponents, who she believes is a tough group, hence winning will not be a walk in the park.
Naomi Osaka’s ranking and performance in 2019
Ranked no.3, Naomi played her last match on the 6th of October when she defeated Ashleigh Barty 3-6 6-3 6-2 in the final in Beijing to win her 5th career title.
This year the Japanese has a 39-11 win-loss record. Osaka clinched 3 titles in 2019 at the Australian Open, in Osaka and in Beijing.
Naomi Osaka |
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