Naomi Osaka‘s return is upon us, and former WTA player Barbara Schett previewed what we might see from the former number one.
The return of Naomi Osaka is probably the most exciting storyline in tennis. It’s been a long time since we saw her play, and her ability with the racket makes it so exciting.
We don’t know what’s going to happen, but very few players were ever as dominant as Osaka was Down Under over the years. Former player Barbara Schett spoke to Eurosport about what we might expect from Osaka on her comeback.
She thinks it will likely go better than that of Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber because she’s younger and generally has more of an aggressive game.
Caroline Wozniacki and Angie Kerber, they’re a little bit more defensive. They do like to play with the pace of the opponent, but they don’t have those killer shots like Naomi Osaka. We’ve seen Caroline Wozniacki at the US Open playing in her onesie and she was just moving like in the old days.
But let’s not forget the age difference – Wozniacki is over 30 and Naomi Osaka is in her mid-20s; that does make a big difference.
The premise by Schett makes perfect sense. Osaka is much younger, and she should be able to return to peak condition pretty easily compared to some of her older colleagues.
She also has a killer game with precise shots, which will allow her to dominate the rallies a bit easier. It’s always easier to win in tennis if you take control of the rallies.
Defensive-minded players can be in a tricky spot where they don’t really exercise much control of the rally. That’s never been a problem for Osaka, and it should suit her well in her comeback. She’s already in Australia, getting ready for her return.
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