Naomi Osaka is thrilled to be back playing at a high level after she reached the Canadian Open semifinals.
The Japanese player has reached the last four at a WTA 1000 tournament for the first time since the 2022 Miami Open.
She reached the semifinals in Toronto for the loss of just one set, which came in the second round where Osaka saved two match points to beat Liudmila Samsonova.
The 27-year-old has been flying ever since and now she has a chance to earn a spot in the Canadian Open final for the first time.
Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty ImagesNaomi Osaka is happier with herself which is helping her win more matches
Naomi Osaka made a bright start to the 2025 season as she reached the ASB Classic final.
But an unfortunate injury meant Osaka retired from the Auckland final after winning the first set, and injury also meant Osaka retired from the Australian Open.
Since regaining full fitness, she has lost multiple three-set matches, including her last six at WTA Tour level before beating Samsonova in Montreal.
Now Osaka is showing some of the form that helped her win four Grand Slam titles, and she thinks the positive feelings she has rediscovered is a significant factor in her improved form.
Furthermore, she disclosed what she has worked on training that helped Osaka defeat Elina Svitolina to advance to the Canadian Open semi-finals.
“I mean, definitely, which it kind of sucks that, like, I’m happier when I win, but that’s kind of the reality of an athlete,” Osaka said.
“But I also wonder if I’m winning because I’m happier. I don’t know. It’s tough to think about, but yeah, I feel a lot more at peace with myself and what I want to do in this part of the season.”
She added: “My fitness, which I think helped me a lot against Elina today, because I know she’s one of the best movers and also, like, she gets the ball back a lot. I felt like she would have to push me off the court if she wanted to win. Yeah, that went fairly well.”
Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty ImagesNaomi Osaka says she last felt good about her game at the Australian Open
Other than the title Osaka won at 125k level in Saint-Malo in May, there were seven months between the two semifinals she reached at WTA Tour level.
These two periods of the year mark the best tennis the former world number one has played so far this season.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that before the Canadian Open, Osaka says she last felt good about her tennis when she competed at Melbourne Park in January.
“Like truly at peace or confident with myself, maybe Australian Open. I don’t know,” the four-time Grand Slam winner said.
“I think there are tournaments that I go in there knowing, like, I practiced something, and I’m fully confident in that, and I feel that way a little now. I guess we’ll see.”