US Open 2021: Naomi Osaka's projected path to the final
From winning the Australian Open, to boycotting press conferences at Roland Garros and then lighting the flame at the Tokyo Olympics, Naomi Osaka has had quite an eventful year.
The 23-year-old has seen extreme highs and lows in a season in which she's made headlines on and off the court.
The Japanese's attention for now, however, will solely be on the US Open, where she is hoping to defend the title she won last year in sensational fashion.
Osaka has landed in a rather tricky section of the draw. Here, we a look at her potential path to the 2021 US Open title.
Naomi Osaka's 1st-round opponent - Marie Bouzkova
Naomi Osaka will take on World No. 86 Marie Bouzkova in her tournament opener. The Czech has struggled in the build-up to the US Open, failing to win a match in the main draw of her last six events.
Bouzkova and Osaka have faced off on tour once before, in the first round of the 2020 Australian Open. Osaka won 6-2, 6-4.
The Japanese is still rusty after a long hiatus, but she should be able to beat Bouzkova without too much effort.
Naomi Osaka's likely 2nd-round opponent - Alycia Parks
Osaka should not have too much trouble in the second round, where she could come up against World No. 246 Alycia Parks. Parks will open her campaign against a qualifier as she looks to win her first match in the main draw of a Grand Slam.
The 20-year-old American, who lost in the qualifying rounds in Cincinnati, has never played Osaka before. While the third seed might not know much about Parks' game, she should still be able to get past her without much difficulty.
Naomi Osaka's likely 3rd-round opponent - Yulia Putintseva
This will likely be Osaka's first big test of the tournament. Not only is Yulia Putintseva ranked 33 in the world, but she also boasts a positive head-to-head record against Osaka. The duo have met four times on tour before, with the Kazakh winning thrice.
However, Osaka came out on top in their latest encounter in the quarterfinals of the Japan Open in 2019. Their head-to-head on hard courts is tied at 1-1. As such, Putintseva, who claimed the title at the Hungarian Open last month, will fancy her chances if she faces Osaka.
Naomi Osaka's likely 4th-round opponent - Angelique Kerber/Coco Gauff/Madison Keys
The road will only get tougher for Osaka. The Japanese could come up against 2016 champion Angelique Kerber or 2017 finalist Madison Keys in the fourth round. Teen sensation Coco Gauff also lurks in this section of the draw and is a potential last-16 opponent for Osaka.
What will concern Osaka is the fact that she has a negative record against both Kerber and Keys: 1-4 and 1-3 respectively. Gauff, too, has beaten Osaka on hardcourt in the past.
Naomi Osaka's likely quarter-final opponent - Elina Svitolina/Simona Halep
Fifth seed Elina Svitolina or two-time Slam champion Simona Halep will likely be Osaka's opponent in the quarterfinals.
The Ukrainian is currently in the middle of an impressive campaign in Chicago, where she's made the semifinals as the top seed. Osaka and Svitolina have split their previous six meetings.
As for Halep, who made the last-eight at the Australian Open this year, she might have a mental edge over Osaka. She's won four of their five matches so far, the latest of which was played in 2018.
Naomi Osaka's likely semifinal opponent - Aryna Sabalenka
Awaiting Osaka in the semifinals might be second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who is one of the favorites to take home the US Open trophy. Sabalenka was knocked out in the second round in Cincinnati, but her powerful strokeplay and form in 2021 make her a threat to every player in the draw.
Osaka has played Sabalenka just once in her career so far, coincidentally at the US Open. The pair met in the round of 16 in 2018, where Osaka pulled off a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory.
Naomi Osaka's likely opponent in the final - Ashleigh Barty
The most consistent player this year, Ashleigh Barty will be keen to finish the Grand Slam season with a trophy at Flushing Meadows. The World No. 1 has never gone past the fourth round at the US Open, but she will have her eyes on the elusive trophy this time around.
Osaka and Barty have met four times on tour so far and their head-to-head is tied at 2-2. The Australian is in better form, but what will work in Osaka's favor is the fact that she has never lost after crossing the fourth round in a Grand Slam so far.
If the two meet in the final, it could be a match for the ages.