Pan Pacific Open draw: Defending champ Naomi Osaka gets tough draw, vows to take it ‘one match at a time’
The Pan Pacific Open makes its return this week after its coronavirus-enforced hiatus and Naomi Osaka admits it is “really weird” being the defending champion.
Osaka lifted the trophy back in 2019 as she became the first Japanese player to win the title in 24 years, but life was quite different back then as she was ranked No 4 in the world and won the Australian Open at the start of the year.
The four-time Grand Slam winner finds herself at No 48 in the WTA Rankings ahead of the tournament while she has hasn’t won a title since the 2021 Australian Open.
“It feels really weird to hear that I’m the defending champion because it was the last time I played in 2019,” she said.
“I would love to win it again, but I think just taking it one match at a time… and also just playing in front of a crowd in Tokyo again, because the Olympics was crowdless, so it will just be nice to see people.”
The former world No 1 is 2-8 in the last 10 matches with her last win coming at the Silicon Valley Classic in July. The last time she won back-to-back matches was at the Miami Open in April when she finished runner-up to Iga Swiatek.
Osaka is unseeded this year and she will open her title defence against Daria Saville from Australia on Tuesday and the winner of that clash will face either fifth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia or wildcard Yuki Naito in the second round.
Brazilian Haddad Maia won the Nottingham Open and Birmingham Classic in June and also finished runner-up to Simona Halep at the Canadian Open in August.
Fourth seed Veronika Kudermetova is the projected quarter-final opponent while top seed Paula Badosa, who faces Zheng Qinwen or Misaka Doi in the second round, is the likely semi-final rival.
Caroline Garcia, fresh from a run to the semi-final at the US Open, headlines the bottom half and the second seed faces Zhang Shuai or Mai Hontama in the second round with Karoline Pliskova also in the section.
Two-time Grand Slam winner and third seed Garbine Muguruza is also in the half along with Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina.
Eighth seed Rybakina returned to form at the Slovenia Open last week as she finished runner-up to Katerina Siniakova on Sunday.
READ MORE: Naomi Osaka hopes ‘to chill a little bit’ to get rid of ‘random chaos in her head’
Latest
-
ATP Tour
Jannik Sinner makes revealing comment on his eyesight after Miami Open win
Jannik Sinner opened up on his use of contact lenses on court.
-
Tennis News
Martina Navratilova serves up a desperate verdict on Andy Murray’s comeback hopes
Andy Murray is likely to have to wait several days to learn how long he will be sidelined for by the ankle injury he suffered in Miami.
-
Tennis News
Jannik Sinner reveals he has been having Call of Duty sessions with Italian football hero
Jannik Sinner has had some high-profile gaming clashes with Italy’s No 1 goalkeeper.
-
Tennis News
Former British No 1 offers up a theory to explain Novak Djokovic’s shock announcement
Has Novak Djokovic lined up a new coach following his decision to part ways with Goran Ivanisevic?
-
ATP Tour
Novak Djokovic’s bombshell announcement fuels growing doubts over his tennis future
Speculation swirling over Novak Djokovic’s long-term future in tennis after his shock move.
-
Tennis News
Novak Djokovic’s final moments of dominance were hard to spot – can he reclaim his crown?
Novak Djokovic’s reign as the king of men’s tennis appeared to be set to run and run – but the mood has changed.
-
WTA Tour
Victoria Azarenka used ‘parenting techniques’ to cope with Miami Open technical meltdown
Victoria Azarenka’s latest match was held up as the line-calling technology broke down – and she was not impressed.
-
Tennis News
Carlos Alcaraz makes Jannik Sinner confession during Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer rivalry comparison
“I hope it will allow me to get the best out of myself … seeing the standard he sets.”
-
Tennis News
Novak Djokovic 3.0: Tennis great’s latest re-invention already underway with ruthless coaching move
The innovation doesn’t stop with Novak Djokovic.
-
Tennis News
Novak Djokovic announces shock departure of long-term coach – ‘Thanks for everything my friend’
Did anyone see that Novak Djokovic coaching bombshell coming?