Novak Djokovic is unbelievable as a tennis player, everyone knows I love Serena Williams, appreciate Nadal & Maria Sharapova: Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka recently opened up about her admiration for her tennis idols Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Maria Sharapova.

The four-time Grand Slam champion answered some questions from her followers, on social media, on Tuesday, October 3. The Japanese, who has been away from the tour since September 2022, discussed her favorite tennis players, her favorite racquet design, and much more.

Osaka revealed that she has learned to appreciate Novak Djokovic, the current World No. 1 and the most successful men’s player of all time with 24 Grand Slam titles, calling him an "unbelievable" tennis player.

"Honestly as I grew up I really learned to appreciate Novak a lot more. Purely as a tennis player this man is unbelievable lol," Osaka wrote on Instagram.

The former World No. 1 also expressed her admiration for Serena Williams as well as Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova, who are known for their intensity and determination on the court.

"Everyone knows I love Serena and I appreciated how focused Nadal and Sharapova were every match too," she added.

However, Osaka did not name a single player as her favorite, saying that she likes qualities from a bunch of different players.

"I don’t have a favorite though. I like qualities from a bunch of different players," she continued further.

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Naomi Osaka sets her sights on Australian Open 2024 as her comeback tournament

Naomi Osaka had been struggling with her performance for more than a year prior to taking maternity leave. But the four-time Grand Slam winner has already set her mind on achieving goals for her expected return.

In a chat with a Japanese TV channel, Osaka expressed her resolve to keep competing at the highest level. She expressed her desire to win eight more Grand Slam trophies to add to her existing four. She also has her eyes on the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I really want to play again, when I found out I was pregnant, I said to myself, 'Okay, after that, I will definitely play better'. I am convinced that this baby will inspire me to try even harder and give my best," Osaka said.

The last time Osaka won a Grand Slam title was at the 2021 Australian Open. The 25-year-old revealed her on-court goals during the interview as she talked about winning many more trophies.

"I want to win eight more Grand Slams and try to win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It's one of the goals that excites me the most about returning to sport. I took a break, but I always feel very competitive and full of desire to win the most important tournaments in my sport again," she added.

Naomi Osaka last played at the 2022 Japan Open where she had to pull out of the Round of 16 because of an injury.