ODDS and EVENS | Naomi Osaka Revitalizes Tennis Career with a New Coach

In sports, contemporary champions are celebrated and discussed, but as time marches on, past winners fade from the public memory. That said, Naomi Osaka is seeking to regain her status among tennis's top stars at the US Open.

Osaka has had a career resurgence in recent weeks. It started with a runner-up finish in the National Bank Open on August 7 in Montreal. That was her first appearance in a WTA Tour 1000 tournament final since April 2022. In addition, it was her first tournament with new coach Tomasz Wiktorowski.

Now, former world No 1 Osaka, who is currently ranked 24th, is two wins away from collecting her third US Open title.

First things first: She faces No 8 seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States in the semifinals on Thursday night, September 4 (Friday, 9:10 AM JST) in New York City.

"It's definitely going to be really tough," Osaka said, sizing up her showdown with the 24-year-old American. "I've played her twice and I've lost both times. She's so talented and she's able to hit a winner from anywhere. So, I know it's going to be tough, and I really like her as a person too, so I'm cheering for her."

A cheerful Osaka added some instant clarity during her news conference in the Big Apple.

"I'm not cheering for her against me, but yeah, it's going to be fun," Osaka told reporters. "Plus, she's American, and you know, this tournament means a lot to her as well."

Notable Back-to-Back Wins for Naomi Osaka

Osaka, who is the 23rd seed, eliminated the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova, the No 11 seed, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, winning 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

"She's one of the best players in the world and every time I play her, it's so, so difficult," Osaka was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.

Two days earlier, Osaka kept alive her title hopes with a 6-3, 6-2 fourth-round victory over world No 3 Coco Gauff, winner of the 2025 French Open and the 2023 US Open who has been plagued by inconsistent play of late.

That propelled Osaka to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance since 2021.

Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim, an astute tennis observer, reported on Osaka's win over Gauff and put her resurgence in perspective.

Osaka "seems to have finally gotten her groove back," wrote Wertheim. "Her ball striking has never been in doubt. It's other elements, including her match generalship, that have failed her in recent years. Today, she was not just accurate, but poised, and despite her modest ranking must be considered a contender to win a third title in New York."

A New Coaching is Helping Naomi Osaka

Sometimes a chance in leadership, a new voice or perspective, can be instrumental in helping a team or an athlete rise to a higher level of performance. Working with Wiktorowski has clearly helped Osaka.

"I think when I was searching for a new coach, I just wanted someone with a lot of knowledge," Osaka recently said, according to a tennis.com article. She added, "I don't really like questioning if someone really knows what they're talking about."

The Polish coach has given Osaka useful advice and devised smart tactics to help her win matches.

"He's done a lot in my game in a very short amount of time that have been really simple fixes," Osaka was quoted as saying by tennis.com. "But they've just also been kind of mind-blowing at the same time."

During her first five singles matches at the ongoing US Open, Osaka has exuded confidence and joy on the court ― and an impressive blend of power and speed. She's also playing more consistently than she has in recent years.

Case in point: Against Gauff, Osaka's tone-setting serve was a key factor. And a strong return game was an extension of the serve, as she won 32 of 38 points while serving, according to the official match statistics.

Aiming to Return to the Top

Osaka, 27, hasn't won a WTA Tour tournament since February 2021, when she conquered Jennifer Brady in the Australian Open. It was her fourth Grand Slam singles title, and many more titles seemed likely.

"Naomi Osaka has emerged as the new face of women's tennis," JAPAN Forward reported after her triumph over Brady, citing the fact she'd won a Grand Slam title in four consecutive years. Those included US Open crowns in 2018 and 2020 and a pair of Australian Open titles.

That was then, this is now.

Naomi Osaka became a mother in July 2023. She's embraced motherhood and being a role model to her daughter, Shai.

As a player, she has endured her share of struggles and disappointments since she launched her comeback in early 2024. For instance, she was bounced from the first round of the Australia Open that January ― a 6-4, 7-6 defeat to Caroline Garcia.

Osaka's love of tennis is also a part of her persona.

And Osaka's success at this year's US Open has exhibited her appreciation for the opportunity to compete on the sport's biggest stage. She called it "kind of [uncharted] territory at this point of my career."

Now vying for her fifth Grand Slam singles title, she acknowledged, "I'm just enjoying it, I'm having fun."

'Inspired by all the Moms'

As a mother and a professional tennis player, returning to a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time as a parent is a special accomplishment for Naomi Osaka.

She addressed that last point after her win against Muchova.

"I'm really inspired by all the moms on tour," Osaka said, according to the WTA Tour website. "But I also have this feeling like I'm not doing good enough or that I'm being left behind. And I think when all the moms came back and they did well off the bat, I sort of felt like something was wrong with me. I know that Belinda [Bencic] made the semis of Wimbledon [in 2025], so I just really felt like I was losing a race in some sort of weird way.

"So yeah, that was on my mind, but now I'm here and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.