© Getty Images Sport – Megan Briggs
Naomi Osaka highlighted she has a pretty high opinion of Elina Svitolina’s game but added that she “would not put the rivalry label” on their matchup as the Japanese revealed she used to only do that when it came to her matches against Ashleigh Barty
On Wednesday, former world No. 1 Osaka kicked off her Miami Open run with a routine 6-3 6-4 win over Elisabetta Cocciaretto. As a reward for her great performance against Cocciaretto, the Japanese four-time Grand Slam champion will now get to play No. 15 seed Svitolina next, who had a first-round bye at the tournament.
While Osaka, 26, and 29-year-old Svitolina have been one of the best players on the Tour over the last six or seven years, they haven’t played against each other since meeting at the Australian Open in 2019 January. Previously, Osaka and Svitolina met six times between 2014 and 2019. Their head-to-head is as even as it gets since each has three wins and three losses in their six meetings.
The last time that Osaka and Svitolina met, the Japanese won their quarterfinal match 6-4 6-1 en route to sealing her first Australian Open title.
“I would say a lot has happened since that match,” Osaka said.
“I think, for me, when I think of Svitolina, I think of her as a…
