Naomi Osaka is ready for another tough battle at the Italian Open 2026. She is preparing to face Iga Swiatek in the Round of 16. The Japanese star booked her place in the fourth round after a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over Diana Shnaider in Rome. Osaka has shown steady improvement during the clay-court season and now faces one of the strongest players on the surface once again.The former World No.1 entered the tournament after reaching the Round of 16 at the Madrid Open, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. Despite recent defeats against top-ranked players, Osaka said she enjoys these high-pressure matches the most. The four-time Grand Slam winner admitted that playing against elite stars like Swiatek and Sabalenka pushes her to perform at her best and gives her extra motivation ahead of major contests.
Naomi Osaka recalls tough French Open battle against Iga Swiatek
Naomi Osaka spoke honestly about the challenge of facing Swiatek and Sabalenka in back-to-back tournaments. She said it feels unlucky at times to continuously meet such strong opponents, but added that these are the matches she enjoys the most. According to Osaka, competing against the world’s best players brings excitement and makes her feel fully motivated on court. She explained that even though the results have not gone her way recently, she still looks forward to such contests because they bring out her competitive side.The Japanese player also reflected on her memorable clash against Swiatek at the 2024 French Open. That match came shortly after Osaka returned to professional tennis following the birth of her daughter, Shai, in 2023. Swiatek eventually won the contest 7-6, 1-6, 7-5, but Osaka pushed the Polish star to the limit on clay, which is considered Swiatek’s strongest surface.Osaka said she still thinks positively about that match because it proved to her that she could compete again at the highest level after pregnancy. She explained that facing one of the best clay-court players in the world and coming very close to victory gave her confidence. Osaka added that she has often struggled on clay during her career, which made that performance even more meaningful for her personally.Swiatek currently leads the head-to-head record against Osaka 2-1. The Polish star has also enjoyed massive success at the French Open, winning the title four times in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
