Naomi Osaka expressed her excitement about participating in the upcoming Canadian Open in Toronto after receiving a main draw wild card.
This WTA event is a crucial part of the summer hard-court swing in North America and plays a key role in preparing players for the 2024 US Open. Osaka will be closely watching her qualification hopes for the major championship.
The entry list for this year’s Canadian Open has been unveiled, with main draw action commencing on Tuesday, August 6th. The tournament has adjusted its start dates for first-round matches due to the overlap with the Olympic Games.
To accommodate players competing in the Olympics and intending to participate in Toronto or Montreal, the tournament has delayed the start of matches to allow for travel time and rest.
Among the competitors is Naomi Osaka, who is one of two Japanese women set to compete in the Olympic tennis tournament at Roland Garros. Osaka will aim to build on her performance at the French Open and make an impact in her second Olympic appearance.
Osaka is eager to partake in the Olympics and then transition to Toronto, where she has secured one of four wild card entries for the event.
“Hi, everyone. It’s Naomi here. I’m so excited to be back in Canada for the National Bank Open in August, and I can’t wait to see you guys there. Get your tickets now.”
“I’m thrilled to be playing at the National Bank Open this year. The city of Toronto has an amazing energy and I can’t wait to be back there. I’m incredibly grateful for the wild card opportunity and look forward to playing in front of the passionate Canadian fans,”
This tournament will mark Osaka’s first return to Toronto since 2022, having retired from a match in that year due to injury. She missed the event in Montreal last year while on maternity leave and has since resumed competition, participating in 14 tournaments in 2024.
Osaka’s recent achievements include reaching the quarterfinals in Doha and aiding Japan in qualifying for the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Her most recent appearance was at Wimbledon, where she reached the second round before exiting the competition.
The four-time Grand Slam champion seeks her first title as a mother and aims to return to the Top 100 rankings. A successful run in Canada could boost her ranking significantly.
In addition to Osaka, fellow Grand Slam champion Bianca Andreescu has also received a main draw wild card for the Toronto event.
