Key Facts
- Osaka's seeding
- 11th
- US Open start date
- August 31
- Osaka's best Toronto result
- Quarter-final in 2019
- Osaka's last major title
- 2021 Australian Open
- Osaka's Wimbledon result this year
- Quarter-final (career-best)
- Top seed
- Aryna Sabalenka
Background
Naomi Osaka of Japan is competing at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto, which alternates hosting duties with Montreal each year. The four-time Grand Slam champion is coming off a semi-final appearance at the hard-court tournament in Washington, where she lost to eventual champion Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.
Osaka finished runner-up in Montreal last year, losing to Victoria Mboko. Her best result in Toronto was a quarter-final appearance in 2019. She is seeded 11th this year and is aiming to build momentum as the US Open approaches, which begins on August 31.
Osaka won her last major title at the 2021 Australian Open and took an extended maternity leave in 2023. She reached the US Open semi-finals last year, the last 16 at the French Open this year, and a career-best quarter-final at Wimbledon.
Current Situation
Osaka said she did better in Washington this year than last year and hopes to keep the ball rolling. She acknowledged she has not historically played very well in Toronto but wants to change that. She added that she tries to treat Montreal and Toronto as separate cities.
Osaka is drawn in the same quarter as second-seeded Elena Rybakina, the Australian Open champion. In the fourth round, she could face fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva, the French Open champion. Andreeva, who lost in the second round at Wimbledon, will open against former world number one Karolina Pliskova, who beat Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-4, 6-4 on Monday.
Osaka's first-round opponent is Hungary's Panna Uvardy, who advanced when Germany's Eva Lys retired due to injury while leading the second set 5-2. The match score was 2-6, 7-6 (7/3), 2-0 when Lys retired.
| Player | Opponent | Score | Seed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karolina Pliskova | Oleksandra Oliynykova | 6-4, 6-4 | Former world No. 1 |
| Panna Uvardy | Eva Lys | 2-6, 7-6 (7/3), 2-0 (ret.) | Unseeded |
| Magdalena Frech | Leolia Jeanjean | 7-5, 6-3 | Unseeded |
| Kayla Day | Diane Parry | 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 | Unseeded |
Impacts
Osaka's performance in Toronto could affect her confidence and preparation for the US Open. She said she hopes to gain a lot of confidence leading into New York, and that losing her last match helped her figure out what she wants to do with her tennis.
Other players in the tournament are also affected by early results. Poland's Magdalena Frech defeated France's Leolia Jeanjean 7-5, 6-3 and will face third-seeded Jessica Pegula, who beat Frech last week in Washington. American Kayla Day beat Diane Parry of France 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 and will play fourth-seeded Coco Gauff.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed. After disappointing runs at the French Open and Wimbledon, she is aiming to reassert her dominance on hard courts, where her only defeat this year was to Rybakina in the Australian Open final.
Future Outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
If Osaka wins her opening match against Uvardy, she could build momentum and potentially face Rybakina or Andreeva later in the tournament. A deep run in Toronto could boost her confidence ahead of the US Open, where she reached the semi-finals last year.
However, if she loses early, she may have less match practice and confidence going into New York. Her recent results, including a career-best Wimbledon quarter-final, suggest she is capable of strong performances, but her form remains uncertain.
Sabalenka's hard-court campaign could also shape the US Open picture. If she regains her dominant form, she may be a strong contender, but her recent Grand Slam exits leave questions about her consistency.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
