Newly rejuvenated Naomi Osaka talks about Rafa Nadal-Roger Federer like potential rivalry with Iga Swiatek
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Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek after the 2022 Miami Open finals
Naomi Osaka’s resurgent run at the 2022 Miami Open came to an abrupt end as Iga Swiatek emerged victorious in the summit clash. The Pole solidified her status as the most dominating player currently on tour, as she won 6-4, 6-0 to become the fourth woman to capture the Sunshine Double. Swiatek who is already set to be the new No.1 when the rankings are updated on Monday, capped off her top spot by winning her third straight title of the year, adding her earlier triumphs in Doha and Indian Wells.
Osaka was playing in her first final since the 2021 Australian Open final but stood no chance against a resilient Swiatek, as the Pole extended her winning streak to 17 matches.
Naomi Osaka on rivalry with Iga Swiatek
Naomi Osaka has opened up on her budding rivalry with Iga Swiatek after the Pole defeated her in Saturday’s Miami Open final. It was just the second time they had played one another and are now tied 1-1 in their head-to-head but the four-time Major champion admitted she hoped they would face off many more times in the future, similar to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s iconic rivalry.
Osaka and Swiatek’s Miami Open final received a lot of hype as the first tournament final since current world No 1 Ash Barty announced her retirement. With the 20-year-old set to take over the top spot from Monday and the Japanese star the last person to sit at No 1 before Barty, it was heralded as a fitting match in the wake of the Aussie’s shock retirement.
The pair had faced off just once before in 2019 when Swiatek was yet to crack the world’s top 50 or become a Grand Slam champion, where Osaka beat her in the Canadian Open.
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Akash Mandal
(433 Articles Published)