Naomi Osaka competed in her first qualifying match in six years at the 2024 Cincinnati Open and emerged victorious despite the match’s lack of cleanliness. The Japanese athlete had expressed her desire to return to the Top 10 by the year’s end earlier this year, a bold declaration that, though challenging, should never be doubted given her caliber as a player.
While Osaka made significant improvements to her ranking and showcased impressive performances, she has yet to achieve her goal. Consequently, she was compelled to participate in the qualifiers at the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati. Due to her insufficient ranking, she had to rely on a wild card solely for the qualifying matches.
Demonstrating her humble nature, she simply stepped onto the court and played her match, a situation she has encountered in the past as well. It has been six years since she last competed in the qualifying rounds, and her recent match in Cincinnati was far from flawless.
Throughout this year, Osaka has struggled with consistency, resulting in several less than immaculate performances. Although she would have preferred to deliver a flawless match, she had to settle for a three-set battle against Anna Blinkova. Given Blinkova’s solid skills, her level of play did not come as a surprise. Osaka dominated the opening set, displaying exceptional ball striking that Blinkova was unable to counter. The match seemed destined to conclude in two sets. However, Osaka’s performance dipped in the second set. Her serving, already subpar in the first set, worsened, leading to mounting frustration. This frustration seeped into the rallies, where Blinkova outperformed Osaka. The Japanese player’s imprecise shots, often veering wide, were ineffective, resulting in her loss of the set 2-6.
The final set commenced with Osaka delivering a strong first service game without encountering any difficulties. Maintaining this level of serving was crucial for her chances of winning the match, particularly considering Blinkova’s impressive performance by that point. The fast-paced courts in Cincinnati favor powerful serves, making them difficult to counter. Osaka continued to serve effectively in the final set, although Blinkova excelled in the rallies. Despite this, Osaka’s perseverance paid off when she secured a break opportunity at 2-1 in the final set, ultimately seizing the opportunity and establishing a 3-1 lead. However, Blinkova swiftly broke back in the subsequent game, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
Nevertheless, Osaka managed to break once again, securing a 4-2 lead. Maintaining her composure, she triumphed with a final score of 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, advancing to the final round of qualifying at the 2024 Cincinnati Open. In the upcoming match, she will face off against Ashlyn Krueger.
Photo from Naomi Osaka Instagram
