Naomi Osaka sets sights on Iga Swiatek’s ‘No.1 ranking’ after resurgent run at the Miami Open

Naomi Osaka sets sights on Iga Swiatek’s ‘No.1 ranking’ after resurgent run at the Miami Open

Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek

Naomi Osaka’s resurgent run at the 2022 Miami Open came to an end with a straight-set defeat in the hands of newly-crowned World No.1 Iga Swiatek. Osaka had been stellar so far in the tournament and dropped only one set en route to the finals, but she stood no chance against Swiatek who clinched her third straight title of the year. With a scoreline of 6-4, 6-0, the Pole extended her unbeaten streak to a record-breaking 17 matches.

It was neck and neck in the opening set, but Swiatek got the decisive break in the fifth game and held her own serve to clinch the first. The second set was pure dominance from the Pole as she bagelled Osaka to wrap up the match in just 80 minutes. Despite the defeat, it was a positive tournament for Osaka as she reached her first final since the 2021 Australian Open. The 24-year-old has had her fair share of struggles off-court, with the well-documented mental health struggles last year and the heckling incident last month at the Indian Wells. But the 4-time-Grand Slam champion is slowly making a return to her top form.

‘It’s cool to see where the level of No.1 is”: Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek
Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek

Osaka came into the Miami Open ranked 77th in the standings and was at risk of dropping out of the top-100 with a poor outing. But her stellar run to the finals has propelled her up to top-40 and the Japanese star is already aiming for a top-10 comeback. She might have faced defeat in hands of Swiatek, but Osaka has already set her sights on the Pole’s No.1 ranking and said that is just the motivation she needs right now to make her ascent up the standings.

“I think by next year or by the end of this year, I would love to be Top 10. By next year I would love to be the No.1. Oh, that’s a big statement. Erase that. Top 5. You know what? I’m going to set that goal. Top 1, yeah. No.1. It feels kind of good to chase something, and I think that maybe that’s a feeling that I have been missing, like wanting to strive to do better. For me, it’s cool to see where the level of No.1 is so I can find out if I can reach that,” Osaka said during her post-match presser.

Also read: “Watching ur journey is incredible,” Naomi Osaka heaps praise over Iga Swiatek after losing in the Miami Open