Shortly before stepping onto court to face Serena Williams in a rematch of their 2018 US Open final, Naomi Osaka learned that on Monday she will again be the No.1 women’s tennis player, as home favorite Bianca Andreescu stunned Karolina Pliskova, the other contender for the top ranking this week at the Rogers Cup.
As of Monday, the 21-year-old Osaka will be spending her 22nd week on top of the WTA rankings, ending the seven-week reign of Australian Ashleigh Barty, who lost her opener at the Rogers Cup, following back-to-back title runs at Roland Garros and Birmingham and the fourth round appearance at Wimbledon. The 23-year-old Barty was the one who dethroned Osaka in June.
Pliskova, number one player for eight weeks in 2017, had a chance to get back to the top this week in Toronto, but home favorite Andreescu continued to brush aside her opponents, beating the Czech 6-0 2-6 6-4 in the quarterfinals. The Canadian teenager is now 6-0 against Top 10 players this season! In the Rogers Cup semifinals, Andreescu will face American Sofia Kenin, the second-round conqueror of current No.1 Barty who advanced to the final four with an upset of sixth seed Elina Svitolina, 7-6(2) 6-4.
Yeah, but she got whooped real good in Serena vintage style today. Osaka’s number 1 ranking won’t mean a thing when Serena’s on her “A” game. Serena: Great movement, aces galore, and consistent confidence. She’s back in her truest form, for sure; just needs to remain there, especially when she makes it to the US Open final (inevitable, if she remains in this form). And for the sake of vintage style playing & winning, she’s got to keep that hair rolled up in a bun. Her level of fire & confidence goes way up when that hair goes up. I kept wondering why she didn’t do that against Halep in the Wimbledon final. “Go, Serena!” #24