Naomi Osaka: I feel pretty confident

Defending champ Naomi Osaka hopes her plan of taking one match at a time works; World No. 1 Djokovic chases calendar-year Grand Slam at US Open

Defending champion Naomi Osaka seeks her third US Open title in four tries as the year’s final Grand Slam begins Monday with top-ranked Wimbledon winner Ashleigh Barty leading a host of rivals. 

Osaka’s form is a worry

What’s uncertain is whether New York will see Osaka rediscover the dominant form that saw her win the past two Grand Slam events she played to the finish. The Japanese star, 23, lit the flame in the Olympic cauldron at the Tokyo Games, but has played only two matches since Japan ahead of the Open.

Novak Djokovic during a practice session at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images

“I know I haven’t played that many matches. I know that I haven’t even gotten to a quarter-final,” Osaka said. “Actually I feel pretty happy with how I’m playing...I feel pretty confident with where I am right now. Of course I’m not declaring that I’ll do amazing here. I’m the one-match-at-a-time like person. “Hopefully it will work out in the end.” 

Osaka, ranked third, has won her first four Grand Slam finals, trailing only Roger Federer’s run of seven and six by Monica Seles for the best Slam final start in the Open Era (since 1968). She will open this year in New York against Czech Marie Bouzkova. 

Osaka could meet Coco Gauff in the fourth round, Ukraine’s fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals and Belarus second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals. 

Meanwhile, top-ranked Novak Djokovic will try to complete the first calendar-year men’s singles Grand Slam in 52 years and become the all-time men’s leader in Slam titles by capturing the US Open. 

Not since Rod Laver in 1969 has the feat been achieved and the chance at tennis history has fueled Djokovic’s fire to finish the 2021 sweep. “I know how big an opportunity is in front of me,” the Serbian star said.

‘I’m very motivated’

“I’m very motivated to play my best tennis. I’m hugely inspired and motivated by that, no doubt.” Five past champions won’t be in the field when the showdown begins Monday, with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, Juan Martin del Potro and Dominic Thiem absent due to injuries. 

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