Naomi Osaka said her straight-sets victory over Ons Jabeur in the Canadian Open demonstrates her growing confidence. (More Tennis News)
The four-time grand slam champion defeated world numbeඣr 16 Jabeur 6-3 6-1 in🌱 her first-round match in Toronto.
Osaka’s victory follows her early exit in ♛the Olympics where she lost in straight sets to Germany’s Angelique Kerber last month at Roland-Garr💧os.
Away from the clay courts, the Japanese player felt the surface ♛and her opponent brought out the best in her in Canada.
“Everyone knows I really love hard court,” said Osaka. “So I don’t knoꦉw, I wasn’t really thinking too much.
"It felt very instinctual and honestly when I play the best players like Ons I tend to༒ play better."
Th🍌e former world number one returned to tennis earlier this year after giving birth to a daughter in July 2023.
Now, Osaka believes she is beginnin🔯g to build momentum again after her hiatus.
“I think if you’ve been following my journey a little, I go through mo𝕴untains and hills. But now I’m feeling quite confident in myself as a person and a player and I think that showed a little,” she explained.
“Hopefully I can continue to play a lot more matches, but I think I ju💦st really love playi☂ng tennis and it’s been an honour to play such a great match in front of everyone.”
