Naomi Osaka seems to finally be getting her 2026 season back on track, after injury halted what seemed set to be a positive Australian Open campaign.
Now back fit and firing, she has soared into the Indian Wells Round of 16 and set up a mouth-watering clash in the process.
Having beaten Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva and Camila Osorio, the 28-year-old now faces the unenviable task of trying to overcome Aryna Sabalenka.
However, Naomi Osaka does not seem fazed by this opportunity. In fact, she is relishing it.
Naomi Osaka previews her Indian Wells match vs Aryna Sabalenka
It is a clash we have been starved of over the last few years, but finally, we will get to see two of the biggest hitters in the sport clash.
With the current world number one facing the former world number one, so much is at stake as they both seek a spot in the Indian Wells quarter-finals.
Who is your money on?
Asked about the match-up, Osaka seemed excited by the prospect.
She admitted: “I mean, for me, it’s really exciting. I have watched her, I don’t want to say “grow over the years,” because I think she’s only a little bit younger than me and I feel like an old person, but yeah, I have watched her grow over the years.
“Obviously she’s so consistent, she’s the No. 1 player in the world and it’s, for me, very motivating. I’m excited to play her, and I’m looking forward to it a lot.”
Then, speaking with Tennis Channel afterwards, the Japanese star added: “For me they are the most fun. When I was younger I used to only show up for the big matches like this, so I think this is what I practice for and I am just really excited to see what I am able to do.”
Osaka faces an in-form opponent though, with Sabalenka actually hitting a huge WTA milestone recently, joining Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova on an exclusive list.
What happened the last time Naomi Osaka played Aryna Sabalenka?
Later in that same press conference, Osaka was asked to look back on her only ever meeting with Sabalenka.
They faced in the 2018 US Open, with Osaka, who would go on to win the title, coming out on top.
Reflecting on her performance, she claimed: “I mean, for me, it’s really exciting. I have watched her, I don’t want to say “grow over the years,” because I think she’s only a little bit younger than me and I feel like an old person, but yeah, I have watched her grow over the years.
“Obviously she’s so consistent, she’s the No. 1 player in the world and it’s, for me, very motivating. I’m excited to play her, and I’m looking forward to it a lot.”
What could stop Naomi Osaka from winning a Grand Slam title in 2026?
Credit: Sofascore
Fans will be hoping to enjoy another blockbuster match, with that US Open encounter still remembered as a fine spectacle.
Osaka won the opening set of that clash, but was pegged back, sending the match to a deciding third set. In the end, the four-time Grand Slam champion emerged victorious, having won 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
