Naomi Osaka’s tough luck with draws continues as the four-time Grand Slam champion is set to meet Ons Jabeur in her opener at a WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto.
After giving birth and missing last year’s National Bank Open, 26-year-old Osaka is returning to Toronto this year. But she definitely won’t have an easy start to her opening hard-court tournament this summer as three-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur is definitely one of the trickiest first-round matchups she could have gotten.
However, it will be a great thing for the tournament organizers and fans as it will highlight first-round action in Toronto but also bring just a second-ever meeting between Osaka and Jabeur. In the past, Osaka, 26, beat 29-year-old Jabeur en route to winning her last title at the 2021 Australian Open.
What Osaka said about facing the top players just a week ago?
After drawing three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber in the Paris Olympics first round, former world No. 1 Osaka said she probably needed to “relearn” hot to play and beat the best in the game again.
“I guess I need to learn how to win again. Maybe that’s something I forgot how to do. Maybe I have to keep playing matches against really good players to…
