Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Naomi Osaka said on Saturday that she's looking to go deep at the upcoming US Open and is feeling good for ahead of the last grand slam event of the tennis year.
"My goal this tournament is my goal in every tournament I play," she told reporters at a press conference at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. "I don't want to say 'hopefully' again, but I will get far. I think I have a pretty good record here, so I can kind of bank on that and use that as confidence."
Two of her four grand slam titles have come on the hard surfaces at the US Open and the last time she played in the tournament, in 2005, she reached the semi-finals.
More recently, Osaka got to the last four at the Mubadala DC Open and the quarter-finals at the National Bank Open in Toronto - she was defeated by Alexandra Eala and Elena Rybakina respectively.
Osaka practiced with Eala on Saturday and was full of praise for the popular 21 year-old from the Philippines, who now has a ranking of number 18 in the world.
"Alex is really cool," Osaka said. "I really like her. I think she's got a really solid head on her shoulders. She seems so grateful for everything. Obviously she's a great player. It was a good practice today, and she brings such a amazing crowd, even for practice. I think it's really amazing that there is like a new younger generation of Asian tennis players. I hope that everyone does well."
Osaka, seeded 12 this year, faces Anastasia Zakharova, of Russia, ranked at 101, in round one of the women's singles. The pair have never met competitively before.
Naomi Osaka said on Saturday that she's looking to go deep at the upcoming US Open and is feeling good for ahead of the last grand slam event of the tennis year.
"My goal this tournament is my goal in every tournament I play," she told reporters at a press conference at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. "I don't want to say 'hopefully' again, but I will get far. I think I have a pretty good record here, so I can kind of bank on that and use that as confidence."
Two of her four grand slam titles have come on the hard surfaces at the US Open and the last time she played in the tournament, in 2005, she reached the semi-finals.
More recently, Osaka got to the last four at the Mubadala DC Open and the quarter-finals at the National Bank Open in Toronto - she was defeated by Alexandra Eala and Elena Rybakina respectively.
Osaka practiced with Eala on Saturday and was full of praise for the popular 21 year-old from the Philippines, who now has a ranking of number 18 in the world.
"Alex is really cool," Osaka said. "I really like her. I think she's got a really solid head on her shoulders. She seems so grateful for everything. Obviously she's a great player. It was a good practice today, and she brings such a amazing crowd, even for practice. I think it's really amazing that there is like a new younger generation of Asian tennis players. I hope that everyone does well."
Osaka, seeded 12 this year, faces Anastasia Zakharova, of Russia, ranked at 101, in round one of the women's singles. The pair have never met competitively before.
