Barbara Schett highlights the similarities between Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, puts the Japanese ahead of Wozniacki and Kerber in comeback prediction

Osaka is speculated to go head-to-head with WTA's top players including Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.

Barbara Schett highlights the similarities between Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, puts the Japanese ahead of Wozniacki and Kerber in comeback prediction

Barbara Schett and Naomi Osaka (Credits: Open Source/X)

Naomi Osaka is all set to return to the tour after giving birth to her daughter and being sidelined from the sport for over a year. The Japanese pro was last witnessed in action at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in 2022.

Her return to the court recently elicited former WTA player Barbara Schett to claim that even the most formidable players on tour including Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina may not want a piece of the Japanese star as she looks to resume action at the upcoming Brisbane International for the 2024 season.

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While talking in an interview with Eurosport, Barbara Schett confidently stated that the four-time Grand Slam singles champion can manifest a good head start. The Austrian further indicated that Swiatek, Rybakina, and Sabalenka would not want to encounter Naomi Osaka owing to the lopsided pressure.

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Schett also highlighted Caroline Wozniacki’s recent comeback and distinctively measured Dane’s success rate with what can be expected of Osaka at Brisbane and, with it, the 2024 Australian Open. The 47-year-old put the Japanese’s game style at par with Wozniacki and illustrated how the former World No. 1 is also privy to an age gap between the duo.

They do like to play with the pace of the opponent, but they don't have those killer shots like Naomi Osaka. But let's not forget the age difference - Wozniacki is over 30 and Naomi Osaka is in her mid-20s; that does make a big difference. Even if you don't give birth at that age, you're starting to get a little bit slower and things get harder.
Barbara Schett told Eurosport

The 26-year-old Japanese welcomed her baby daughter with her longtime boyfriend and rap artist, Cordae, in June this year. Meanwhile, Caroline Wozniacki’ and her husband David Lee gave birth to their second child, James, on October 24, 2022.

Barbara Schett highlights Naomi Osaka’s aggressive game style alikeness with the likes of Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams

In that same interview, Barbara Schett measured Naomi Osaka’s aggressive baseline game style with Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams. She further highlighted the similarities they share and with it, the Japanese’s advantages over Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber.

Naomi Osaka (Credits: Forbes)
And Novak Djokovic even said it: 'I'm not as fast as I used to be, but I have to work it out in a different way to beat the opponents'. My biggest worry is that [Angelique] Kerber and also Wozniacki, are struggling with the pace of those girls a lot more. Whereas Osaka has always been super aggressive, and she's never had problems with the pace of somebody like Serena Williams as well.
Schett said

Osaka will mark her return at the 2024 Brisbane International which is scheduled to run from December 31 to January 7. This WTA 500 event ultimately serves as a warm-up tournament for the season’s first Grand Slam, the Australian Open.

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