By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday, April 2, 2022
It’s the acquainted chorus after the Miami Open: on to the clay! And in 2022, that chorus takes on new which means for Naomi Osaka, who’s wanting ahead to development on the floor as she places her profession again on observe.
After her loss to Iga Swiatek in Saturday’s Miami Open closing, the four-time main champion talked about her enthusiasm for the terre battue this spring. She says she plans to go to Europe per week earlier than the Madrid Open to seize an additional week of coaching on the purple clay for the primary time in her profession.
“I am clearly not a clay knowledgeable, however, you already know, I really feel like if I get my motion collectively, I needs to be fairly good,” Osaka stated.
Osaka has solely received two matches on clay for the reason that begin of 2020, however to be honest he has not performed a lot – simply 5 matches. Over the course of her profession, Osaka is 20-15 on clay and he or she has misplaced all seven matches she has performed in opposition to the Prime-20.
Naomi Osaka is totally targeted on clay this yr. Citing the instance of Sabalenka’s Madrid win, Osaka stated she’s “prepared to do no matter it takes to get good outcomes.”“I will watch plenty of Nadal movies to see how he strikes. Shout out, Alcaraz, as a result of he is killing it.” pic.twitter.com/dCFFzbvoLd
— Musab (@Musab_Abid) April 2, 2022
2019 was a greater yr for Osaka on clay. She went 9-2 and reached semifinals at Stuttgart and the quarterfinals at Madrid and Rome earlier than falling within the third spherical at Roland-Garros. She informed reporters on Saturday that she believes she will do nicely on clay. She added that watching Aryna Sabalenka have success at Madrid final yr has additionally inspired her.
“I grew up on inexperienced clay, being from right here, so it should not be that overseas to me,” she stated. “And I do know, you already know, Madrid, Sabalenka received that final yr, so I feel that there’s alternatives for me to do nicely, as nicely.
“I feel I simply must get my mentality collectively to know that each match could be a battle.”
Osaka realizes she’ll face plenty of challenges on the floor, however she is hopeful that she will proceed the momentum she has constructed over the past month when she arrives in Europe.
And perhaps watching just a few movies of the King of Clay will assist…
“I do know that French Open is way away, and the clay season is upcoming, however I feel my objective there’s simply to maintain a constructive outlook on life,” she stated. “I will watch plenty of Nadal movies to see how he strikes. Shout out, Alcaraz, as a result of he is killing it.
“I simply suppose that realizing I am nonetheless a pupil and I’ve to continue to learn. Clay and grass is one thing I actually wish to sort out this yr. So I am prepared type of to do no matter it takes to get good outcomes. Not that outcomes are every part, however I actually wish to do nicely.”
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