WTA Miami: Naomi Osaka - "Next year I would like to be number one"
Despite her defeat in the final against Iga Swiatek ,Naomi Osaka leaves the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami with great ambitions.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Apr 03, 2022, 03:56 pm
In the final, Naomi Osaka didn't stand a chance against Iga Swiatek, but overall the four-time Grand Slam winner could be quite satisfied with her performances at the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami. Thanks to reaching the final in Florida, the Japanese appears to be 36th in the world rankings on Monday, but her return to the top 40 should only be the first step on her way back to the top of the world.
"I think I would like to be in the top ten next year or at the end of this year. Next year I would like to be number one," Osaka said after the final. So far, the Japanese has spent 25 weeks at the top of the world rankings in her career.
"It feels kind of good to be chasing something and I think maybe I missed that feeling, like striving to be better. For me it's cool to see where the number one level is, with that I can find out if I can achieve it," said Osaka in view of the bankruptcy against Swiatek, who will take the lead in the WTA charts.
Osaka are also looking to take inspiration from Rafael Nadal on their way into the top ten - especially with the upcoming clay-court season. "I'll watch a lot of Nadal videos to see how he moves," said Osaka, who will be preparing for the Ashes in contrast to previous seasons in Europe.
Here is the individual tableau in Miami
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