Naomi Osaka shows major respect for Ashleigh Barty ahead of Australian Open
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Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka admitted that returning to the Australian Open as a defending champion brings added pressure. Osaka, 24, captured her fourth Grand Slam title last year after beating Jennifer Brady in the Australian Open final.
Osaka is a two-time Australian Open and a two-time US Open champion. Osaka is hoping to defend her Grand Slam title for the first time in her career. “I’ve been defending champion like three times before, and I’ve clearly never been able to defend it,” Osaka told reporters at Media Day at the Australian Open, per the WTA website.
“But I think there’s of course added pressure. You always think about it more often than not. “But for me, I just want to come into this tournament playing well. I think that bottom line, if I play well I’ll be able to get far.
If I happen to lose, then that’s something that I can learn on and keep practicing and hopefully evolve from that.”
Osaka praises Ashleigh Barty
Osaka, now ranked at No. 14 in the world, called Barty the “ideal No.
1″ Barty enjoyed a strong 2021 season and for a third year in a row finished the year ranked at No. 1 in the world. When asked about Barty, Osaka said she has nothing but respect for the Australian tennis star. “For me I think she’s the ideal No.1,” Osaka said.
“She’s so consistent. I saw last year all the sacrifices she made to travel without coming back to Australia. I knew that must have been really tough. “Last year I only practiced with her one time. It was at the French Open.
I think she’s really amazing. She’s always so positive. Her and her coach, they’re always really nice to everyone that I can see. Yeah, I really like her a lot.”
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Source : tennisworldusa
