Canadian Open 2022: Naomi Osaka vs Kaia Kanepi preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: Naomi Osaka vs Kaia Kanepi.
Date: August 8, 2022.
Tournament: Canadian Open 2022.
Round: First round (Round of 64).
Venue: Toronto, Canada.
Category: WTA 1000.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $2,697,250.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - Sportsnet, TVA Sports | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Naomi Osaka vs Kaia Kanepi preview
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will face off against Kaia Kanepi in the first round of the 2022 Canadian Open.
Osaka's season has been quite up and down. She made her comeback at the Melbourne Summer Set, but withdrew from the tournament before her semifinal match. At the Australian Open, Amanda Anisimova ended her title defense in the third round.
Her outing at Indian Wells ended in the second round. She notched up her best result of the season at the Miami Open by reaching the final, where she lost to the in-form Iga Swiatek in straight sets.
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The former World No. 1 had a rather short clay season. Osaka made it to the second round of the Madrid Open. At the French Open, Anisimova knocked her out of a Grand Slam for the second time in a row. She sustained an injury during the match and skipped the grass swing completely.
Osaka returned to action at the Silicon Valley Classic. She defeated youngster Qinwen Zheng in three sets in the first round. Coco Gauff outplayed her in the second round, but the Japanese didn't go down without a fight. She saved seven match points before finally folding.
Kanepi lost in the second round of her very first tournament of the season. At the Australian Open, she defeated the likes of former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber and top 10 player Aryna Sabalenka to reach the quarterfinals. It was her first time making the last eight in Melbourne. She went down to Swiatek in three sets.
Kanepi followed it up with a third-round showing at both the Indian Wells and in Miami. She had a decent clay season. The Estonian knocked out former French Open champion Garbine Muguruza in the first round of Roland Garros, before losing to Coco Gauff in the third round.
She didn't find too much success on grass this time, making a first-round exit at Wimbledon. She's currently competing at the Citi Open and has reached the semifinals, where she'll take on Daria Saville.
Naomi Osaka vs Kaia Kanepi head-to-head
Kanepi leads Osaka 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2017 US Open in three sets.
Naomi Osaka vs Kaia Kanepi odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Naomi Osaka vs Kaia Kanepi prediction
Over the years, Kanepi has rightfully earned a reputation on the tour as a giant-killer. She has already defeated a couple of Grand Slam champions this year and will be targeting a third scalp in the form of Osaka. With her good showing at the Citi Open, the Estonian will be high on confidence and momentum.
Osaka has shown she can still compete at a high level, but her lack of match action is quite evident at times. Her movement has declined a fair bit and she's unable to execute her shots properly while on the run. Her serve, while still a huge asset, didn't click completely during her most recent tournament.
Kanepi has enough firepower in the groundstrokes to go toe-to-toe with Osaka. This contest will be a battle between two of the finest ballstrikers on the tour. Both will look to overpower the other with their shots.
She usually raises her level while competing against a more accomplished player. The Estonian is likely to score yet another upset win, but it would be unwise to count Osaka out completely.
Pick: Kaia Kanepi to win in three sets.