Three Grand Slam champions inspired Naomi Osaka.
Now, the US Open champion is hoping to inspire the next generation of players.
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The 20-year-old Osaka swept her tennis hero, Serena Williams, 6-2, 6-4, in the Flushing Meadows final earlier this month. Osaka made history as the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title and hopes her title run will impact others.
“I really love Serena, Federer, and Li Na, just the fact that she was the first Asian Grand Slam champion,” Osaka told the media in Beijing today. “For me to be the first Japanese now, I think it’s really cool how people can inspire.”
In the aftermath of her US Open title run, Osaka reached the Tokyo final falling to fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova—and plagued by lingering fatigue winning her maiden major.
Though Osaka was in tears after the Tokyo final, she said in retrospect she's happy she played the tournament.
"I’m just really trying to get used to going deeper in tournaments," Osaka said. "In a way, I’m sort of grateful that I played [Tokyo] because I could go straight into tournament mode,” said Osaka. “I think it’s good, it’s been really fun.”
The eighth-ranked Osaka will be put to the test immediately in Beijing as she faces American Madison Keys in her China Open opener. Osaka denied 13 break points defeating Keys, 6-2, 6-4, in the US Open semifinals earlier this month.
It was Osaka's first win in four meetings with Keys.
Photo credit: Dan Huerlimann/Beelde Images