by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
March 24, 2024
Naomi Osaka advances to the third round of the Miami Open after her defeat of Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina.
Naomi Osaka is on a mission to be the No. 1 tennis player in the world–again. The new mother has advanced to the third round of the Miami open after defeating Elina Svitolina on March 23.
Osaka’s performance thus far at the Miami Open has been considered her “best tennis of the year,” as reported by Tennis.com. Osaka entered the tournament as a wild card, although she was once a finalist in 2022. On her win against Svitolina, the 26-year-old athlete expressed her determination to only get better in the days ahead.
“I definitely do think it was one of my best matches, if not the best match (of the year),” Osaka said in her post-match press conference. “But I also want myself to play better and better every match…For me going into the match, I knew that she’s a great player, and I had no choice but to play really well if I wanted a chance to win.”
Their match’s delay stemmed from inclement weather in the South Florida city, leading them to play the following day on a smaller court. However, the intimate setting did not disrupt Osaka’s flow, who welcomed the new atmosphere.
“I honestly think the court was really cool, just like having everyone surrounding and everyone was so loud and vocal,” expressed the athlete. “It just felt like Miami. It was really cool to play on that court.”
Osaka bested the Ukrainian player in two match points for a tiebreak. She have to face Caroline Garcia next, a recurring opponent for Osaka throughout her career. Osaka hopes to keep her lead against her, currently at 2-1.
“She’s an amazing player. I know this. Every match we play is really difficult,” Osaka said. “It’s just going to be interesting playing on these courts because I really like these hard courts.”
Her match against the French athlete takes place on March 24. In her return to the courts, Osaka also advocated for the Women’s Tennis Association to introduce maternity leave.
RELATED CONTENT: Naomi Osaka Advocates For ‘Life-Changing’ Maternity Pay On WTA Tour
