"I remember thinking that was the best day of my life" - Naomi Osaka recalls meeting Serena Williams as a 16-year-old at Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic

One of the premier players in the women's game, Naomi Osaka has confirmed her return to competitive action at the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic that begins in San Jose on August 1. The Japanese national skipped the entire grass court season and was last seen in action at the French Open earlier this year.

Interestingly, this very competition is widely considered to be the event where the former World No. 1 began her journey as a professional player in 2014 and marks the site of her first WTA main draw appearance. Considering her history at the tournament, Osaka has received a wildcard entry for this year's edition.

Naomi Osaka took to Twitter to respond to a five-second clip of herself alongside Serena Williams back then, a video that was posted by the event organizers as a tribute to the four-time Grand Slam champion to welcome her back. Osaka recalled how being in the presence of arguably the greatest player of all time when she was still very much a teenager made her think it was the "best day" of her life.

"hahah I remember thinking that was the best day of my life," Osaka wrote.

Inspired by the meeting with the 23-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka made it to the second-round of the tournament in 2014, beating Samantha Stosur in her opening match and announcing to the world the talent she possessed. In the next stage, however, she fell to Andrea Petkovic.

Coming to the present, the 24-year-old will be desperate for some match practice ahead of the North American hardcourt swing. Having won the US Open in 2018 and 2020, the Japanese national will be keen to get back to winning Majors once again at Flushing Meadows.

Worryingly, the furthest she has reached at a Grand Slam since winning the Australian Open last year has been the third round, which she achieved at the same event this year.

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Naomi Osaka's record against Serena Williams

Naomi Osaka is one of the few players who have a positive record against Serena Williams

Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka have met on four occasions on the WTA Tour till date, with the Japanese youngster having the upper hand with three victories to her name. Serena Williams' lone victory came in Toronto in the quarterfinals of the 2019 National Bank Open.

Naomi Osaka, on the other hand, won the first two meetings between the duo. The first showdown came at the 2018 Miami Open, which Osaka won in straight sets. The second meeting was the infamous 2018 US Open final, which Osaka again won in straight sets to win her maiden Grand Slam title.

The pair's latest encounter on the court was in the semifinals of the 2021 Australian Open, which Naomi Osaka won in straight sets en route to winning her fourth Grand Slam.