Naomi Osaka is growing stronger and stronger in Melbourne after she won 2 smooth matches against Marie Bouzkova and Saisai Zheng with the same result (6-2 6-4).
After winning her 2nd round, Naomi looked completely confused in the on-court interview when she was asked how she feels for having the opportunity to reclaim her world no.1 rank if she defends her title. The question was completely wrong as the Japanese will never manage to get to the top of the rankings if she wins the title in Melbourne.
Osaka’s about being world no.1
Naomi replied: “Get through where to be number one in the world? Oh really?
No, I thought because Ash is like 2000 points ahead of me and I have to defend this, that I’m going to drop out of the top 10 for real. OK that’s good news for me… I guess.”
Actually, Naomi is right, because in the live rankings she is now no.9 and she can crash out the top10 if she halts her run in the following round.
Osaka at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2020
At the moment ranked no.4, Naomi has a 5-1 win-loss record in 2020. Naomi is competing at the Australian Open where she defeated Marie Bouzkova 6-2 6-4 and Saisai Zheng 6-2 6-4.
Naomi won 5 titles in her career: all of them conquered on hard courts. (See the list of her titles)
Barty at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2020
Now ranked no.1, Barty has a 5-1 win-loss record in 2020. Barty is competing at the Australian Open where she toppled Lesya Tsurenko 5-7 6-1 6-1.
Ashleigh Barty will take on Hercog in the 2nd round. They have never played each so far on the main tour.
Barty clinched 1 title in 2020 in Adelaide.
Ashleigh won 8 titles in her career: 4 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 2 on grass courts. (See the list of her titles)
Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty played each other 4 times. The head to head is 2-2.
The last time that they competed against each other, Naomi Osaka won 3-6 6-3 6-2 in the final in Beijing (China Open) in October 2019.
You can see them in action in the following highlights.
