"Jelena Ostapenko's one of my favorite players to watch" - Naomi Osaka excited to take on 'polar opposite' in US Open 2024 1R blockbuster showdown
Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and Jelena Ostapenko will lock horns in a blockbuster first-round encounter at the 2024 US Open. While the Latvian is the 10th seed at the tournament, the Japanese received a wildcard entry into the main draw.
Addressing the match-up during her pre-tournament press conference, Osaka, a two-time US Open winner, said she is expecting a “really fun” encounter.
Osaka said that Ostapenko is one of her favorite players to watch despite their on-court personalites being the exact opposite.
"My first-round match... I think it's going to be really fun," Osaka said. "She's honestly one of my favorite players to watch. I think we are polar opposites in a way."
Osaka said she has a lot of respect for Ostapenko, given that she was the first player from their generation to win a Grand Slam. She reiterated her excitement at getting to play the Latvian in her New York opener.
"Yeah, I respect her a lot. She was the first player in our generation to win a Grand Slam. She's a champion. I'm really looking forward to it," the former World No. 1 added.
"I made a promise to myself to be as confident as I can" - Naomi Osaka ahead of Jelena Ostapenko US Open match
Speaking about her confidence going into the US Open, Naomi Osaka said she has made a commitment to herself to be as assured in her own abilities as she can be.
The 26-year-old said her confidence took a hit as she lost a few tough matches this year without necessarily playing bad tennis. She was, however, quick to add that she has learnt a lot from the losses.
"I would say I made a promise to myself to be as confident as I can in the fact that I am who I am," Naomi Osaka said. "I feel like, for me, throughout the year I have had really hard matches, and it kind of dipped my confidence a little."
"I wouldn't say that I played bad tennis. I just would say that I played really good players, and I also learned a lot," she added.
The former champion said while coming back to the US Open always brings back happy memories from her past triumphs, one needs to look forward.
"I do think coming to this specific tournament helps me out. But also, whenever I step foot here, I don't really think about the two tournaments I won," Naomi Osaka said.
Osaka and Ostapenko will take to the Louis Armstrong Stadium for their first-round encounter on Tuesday (August 27).