Naomi Osaka has some new tricks for her upcoming tournament at Mutua Madrid that starts this week. The former World No. 1 is currently preparing at Mallorca in hope of her clay breakthrough. The player has been doing better as she seems in regaining her form back.
Osaka recently reached the final of the Miami Open where she was defeated by World No. 1 Iga Swiatek who today announced her sudden withdrawal following her right shoulder injury. In absence of the Polish star, Osaka is a heavy favourite in Madrid, Spain. The Japanese revealed that she has adopted some changes in her playing style and that will be seen while she plays and that she doesn’t want to “spoil the surprise,” reported WTA Tour.
The Japanese professional notably disclosed that she might even try the ways how Rafael Nadal plays as she watched him play for years and learned things from the 21-times Grand Slam champion. She told as reported by WTA Tour that she has been “practising” one of the tactics Nadal does, recently. She further added that trying that thing will make her perform either “really good or really bad.”
The four-time Grand Slam champion seems to be keeping an eye on the Spaniard’s every move and said, “I know every kid growing up playing tennis in the world has pretended to be Nadal at least once.”
Osaka will be seen in action this week at WTA Madrid Open and winning her opener will take her against either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Sara Sorribes Tormo.
