Naomi Osaka’s partnership with Iga Swiatek’s former mentor, Tomasz Wiktorowski, is off to a flying start as the former world No 1 has reached the quarter-final of a WTA 1000 event for the first time in 19 months.
The four-time Grand Slam winner parted ways with Patrick Mouratoglou after her DC Open exit and just days later she started working with Wiktorowski with the Canadian Open their first event as a team.
Wiktorowski, of course, worked with Swiatek from 2021 until October 2024 and during that time the Pole won three Grand Slam titles and became world No 1. He also coached former world No 2 Agnieszka Radwanska from 2011 until 2018.
The Osaka-Wiktorowski journey kicked off with a straight-set win over Ariana Arseneault in the first round in Montreal before an upset three-set victory over 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova. She then took out 22nd seed Jelena Ostapenko in two sets before demolishing Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 6-0 in the fourth round.
The last time Osaka reached the last eight of a WTA 1000 event was at the Qatar Open in February 2024 and there is no doubt that her new coach is already contributing to her performances.
After he win over Samsonova, Osaka was asked about and she replied: “I think with personality, I was a little nervous because he seems a little stern but he’s actually kind of funny. He’ll randomly say a joke that I wasn’t expecting or something like that. I like him a lot.
“I know that we’ve only played two matches, but he seems very decisive with what he wants. And I think that that makes it very clear for me.”
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Two wins have now turned into four, and she will hope to make it five when she faces Elina Svitolina for a place in the semi-final.
The 26-year-old’s confidence is returning following her third-round loss at Wimbledon and second-round exit in Washington DC.
“I am very happy, without a doubt. I think today was faster than I expected, but I am very pleased with how the strategy went, and I am eager to play my next match,” the world No 49 – who is set to rise 15 places in the WTA Rankings following her run – said.
“I had a very tough match at Wimbledon, and that made me rethink things a bit. Then, of course, I went to Washington and had a good match there. I try to accumulate wins on hardcourt. Right now, I have quite a bit of confidence in my game.
“I am allowing myself to enjoy it, and I think it’s a bit ironic for me because it’s not easy for me to describe, but I don’t desire it with such intensity, which is a bit strange to say.
“I suppose I am allowing myself to see what the results of my training and all that are. I am happy with where my tennis will take me, whatever happens.”
AloJapan.com