By Richard Pagliaro | Tennis Now | Saturday April 2, 2022
Miami—A final defeat can be deeply demoralizing, but Naomi Osaka views her Miami Open shellacking as seriously stimulating.
After new No. 1 Iga Swiatek surged through seven straight games dismissing Osaka 6-4, 6-0 in today's Miami Open final, former world No. 1 Osaka shared her goals.
More: Streaking Swiatek Sweeps Osaka
The four-time Grand Slam champion is aiming to be seeded for Roland Garros, return to the Top 10 by the end of the season and regain the world No. 1 ranking by next year.
The 77th-ranked Osaka is the lowest-ranked Miami finalist in history. Osaka, who was positive and engaging after a today's humbling loss, said she's setting clear ranking goals this season and will strive to regain the top spot next season.
"My main goal is to be seeded at French Open now," Osaka told the media in Miami. "I think by like next year or by the end of this year I would love to be top 10. By next year I would love to be the No. 1.
"Oh, that's a big statement. Close to -- top 5. Erase that. Top 5. You know what? I'm going to set that goal. Top 1, yeah, No. 1."
Former No. 1 Martina Hingis once said "it's always easier being the hunter than the hunted."
Echoing that remark, Osaka suggested the thrill of the chase can be major motivation.
"Yeah, I don't know. It feels kind of good to chase something, and I think that maybe that's a feeling that I have been missing, like wanting to strive to do better," Osaka said. "For me, like, it's cool to see where the level of No. 1 is so like I can find out if I can reach that, if that makes sense."
In order to return to the top spot, Osaka knows she'll need success on other surfaces.
All seven of Osaka's titles have come on hard court whereas Swiatek won her lone major on red clay at the 2020 Roland Garros and recently retired Ash Barty won three Grand Slam crowns on three different surfaces.
To that end, Osaka is planning to go to Europe a week early this season to invest time playing on red clay before Roland Garros.
The 24-year-old Osaka has yet to surpass the third round at Roland Garros or Wimbledon, but believes if she can sharpen her movement on dirt and accept the fact she'll have to play longer points that she can master red clay. A feeling bolstered by seeing fellow power player Aryna Sabalenka win Madrid last May.
"I'm clearly not a clay expert, but, you know, I feel like if I get my movement together, I should be pretty good," Osaka said. "I grew up on green clay, being from here, so it shouldn't be that foreign to me. And I know, you know, Madrid, Sabalenka won that last year, so I think that there is opportunities for me to do well, as well.
"I think I just have to get my mentality together to know that every match would be a fight."
Photo credit: Michael Reaves/Getty