Naomi Osaka continued her impressive comeback at the Canadian Open in Montreal, delivering a dominant performance against Anastasija Sevastova to secure a spot in the quarter-finals. The four-time Grand Slam champion dismantled the world No. 386 in just 49 minutes, winning 11 consecutive games after Sevastova held serve early in the match.
Now working with Tomasz Wiktorowski former coach of Iga Swiatek following a recent split with Patrick Mouratoglou, Osaka appears revitalized. Her resurgence has caught the attention of tennis experts, including former world No. 4 Brad Gilbert, who tweeted: “Interesting, best Double Osaka has looked for a while with Iga Pop’s old coach.”
In a press conference, the 27-year-old Osaka reflected on how she now defines success. “It’s weird. I talked to my dad, and he said just being healthy and happy is a form of success,” she said. “Of course I want to win Slams and return to the top 10, but I’m focusing on small goals that can build up to the bigger ones. Being in the quarter-finals is a step toward reaching the semis and finals.”
Osaka, who began the tournament ranked 49th, has climbed 15 spots to 34th in the live WTA rankings, thanks to her 215-point boost. This rise puts her in strong contention to be seeded for the US Open.
Next, she faces world No. 13 Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals. Svitolina, who eased past Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 6-1, anticipates a tough match. “Osaka is another powerful hitter,” she said. “Today was good preparation against Amanda. Now, I need to recover and get ready for a big battle.”
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