Naomi Osaka’s 2024 comeback from the birth of her first child has not yet gained any real momentum. But that’s not to say she is a long way off from finding some success.
Her most notable result this season has come at the French Open. Ranked outside the top 100 and therefore unseeded and at the mercy of the draw, Osaka had to go up against none other than world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the second round at Roland Garros. Despite being a huge underdog in that contest, the Japanese star came within one point of advancing. In the end, however, Swiatek prevailed 7-6(1), 1-6, 7-5 and eventually went on to capture a fourth title in Paris.
Wimbledon result adds to Osaka’s underwhelming 2024 campaign
Aside from that one match, Osaka has been unspectacular this year. The four-time Grand Slam champion has not reached a single semifinal and has been to the quarterfinals of a tournament just twice (on the hard courts of Doha and the grass of ‘s-Hertogenbosch). She just recently flamed out of Wimbledon in round two via a 6-4, 6-1 decision at the hand of Emma Navarro.
With that, it’s time for Osaka to start thinking about the Paris Olympics.
“Since I’m out so early, I really want to take the time and train for the Olympics because I do want to do well,” the 26-year-old said following her All-England Club exit. “I do know that my last clay court match was really good. So I might end up liking that surface a lot more than grass now. As far as the schedule, I don’t really know too much yet. I think I’m just going to go home and I guess…then plan from there.”
Olympics, U.S. Open still on 2024 schedule
The Olympics aren’t the only huge tournament left on the 2024 tennis calendar. A four-time major champion, Osaka can also add to her slam title haul later this summer at the U.S. Open. The world No. 113 is a +700 fifth favorite to lift the trophy in New York, which she has already done on two occasions. Iga Swiatek, the top-ranked woman on tour, is a +300 co-favorite along with Aryna Sabalenka. You can bet on Japanese tennis and other tennis markets at Japan-101.
Osaka captured the U.S. Open title in both 2018 and 2020. She is also a two-time Australian Open winner, having triumphed Down Under in 2019 and 2021.
Osaka has competed in the Olympics only once. At the 2020 Tokyo Games (held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic), she was the No. 2 seed and lost to eventual silver medalist Marketa Vondrousova in the third round.
French Open was her opportunity
Iga too strong at FO 😀
There will be a lot of competition in the Roland Garros Olympics, even for Iga.
I don’t know how motivated Iga is; she feels a ton of pressure, though. But there are some Czech players. Paolini will be ready, and there are many others to watch, like Ons Jabeur, not counting Coco Gauff. I could go on and on, but I think a surprise winner we overlook will come in sharp.
It’s exciting!
Dang, Tennis Channel again. It says they will be showing the WTA Palermo final, but yeah, right. All it is is Newport ATP. They have no thought about including a split screen, and this WTA Final starring two stellar champions, Qinwen Zhang vs Karolina Muchova.
Qinwen Zheng, not Zhang. 🙁