Legendary coach Rick Macci has weighed in on Naomi Osaka’s future Grand Slam success following her strong recent form on the WTA Tour.
The four-time Grand Slam champion revealed glimpses of her top form during the North American hard-court swing, reaching the Canadian Open final and US Open semi-finals.
The 27-year-old had struggled for consistency after returning from a period of absence, but seems to have rekindled her form in recent months.
Osaka’s otherworldly talent is unquestionable, but translating this talent into further Grand Slam success is another matter.
Rick Macci, who has worked with the likes of Andy Roddick and Serena Williams, has discussed the matter on social media.
Rick Macci says Naomi Osaka will be a contender at future Grand Slam tournaments
Rick Macci is an authority on tennis development and coaching due to his long career working with various high-profile tennis players.
Macci is credited with assisting the Williams sisters during the early stages of their tennis careers, and has gone on to coach Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick.
Macci always has one eye on the professional tennis tours, and his latest prediction concerns former world number one Naomi Osaka.
On X [Twitter], Macci said: “Look for Osaka to go from pretender to contender at every event and the Majors.
“Confidence breeds confidence, and she has been there, done that.
“You do not lose the talent, but you can lose your way down the highway. When a champ feels great and they believe, they achieve.
How has Naomi Osaka performed at Grand Slams in 2025?
At the Australian Open, Osaka defeated Caroline Garcia and former semi-finalist Karolina Muchova in the opening two rounds, before retiring from her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to injury.
Four months later, Osaka fell at the first hurdle. At the French Open, she lost in the first round to 10th seed Paula Badosa, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4.
Osaka emulated her Australian Open run at Wimbledon, reaching the third round. Victories against Talia Gibson and Katerina Siniakova earned the Japanese player a contest against Anastasia Pavlychenkova in the third round.
Osaka lost to the eventual quarter-finalist, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The Japanese star’s best Grand Slam run of the year came at the US Open, where she defeated Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova on her way to the semi-finals.
Osaka would go on to lose her semi-final match against Amanda Anisimova, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3.
