Osaka vows to reach game’s pinnacle again
NAOMI Osaka desperately wants her world No.1 title back but she has dubbed anyone who thinks the legendary Serena Williams is finished as “silly”.
A determined Osaka is preparing to head Down Under to defend her Australian Open crown this summer.
The Japanese-born righthander has dropped to No.3 in the world after holding No.1 position earlier this year.
The emergence of Osaka, Karolina Pliskova and Australia’s Ash Barty has helped to build an exciting new era for women’s tennis.
Williams’s decades of dominance appear to be over as a fresh wave of talent comes through the ranks. Talk to Osaka, though, and she believes it’s premature to put the red pen through the 23-time grand slam champion. “I think it is silly to write Serena off,”
Osaka said. “She went to the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. She is in the top 10 and she has played the least number of tournaments out of every player.
“Of course it is hard to compare because she has had a great career but I think people are being a bit hard on her.
“She isn’t just someone that you write-off.”
Osaka, 22, is one of the world’s best but she concedes she would not be where she is today without Williams.
As a budding tennis player she admired Serena’s exploits on the world stage.
“For me, I wouldn’t have played tennis if it wasn’t for Serena and her sister Venus,” she said.
“I watched them play when I was younger and that is why my sister and myself started playing.
“Serena is definitely someone that I look up to.
“There are a lot of really good players coming up now and I feel like everyone is getting a chance to show what they’ve been practising.
“Women’s tennis is strong right now.”
For Osaka to reclaim the world No.1 mantle, she has to beat Australia’s Ash Barty.
She defeated Barty in the China Open final in October to level their head-to-head record at 2-2.
“I’d love to be No.1 again but I think Ash deserves the spot right now,” said Osaka. really