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Naomi Osaka crediting Novak Djokovic for inspiring strategic changes to her return game at the 2024 Qatar Open has sparked delight among tennis fans.
After suffering a series of setbacks during her comeback journey, Osaka is making waves at the WTA 1000 event in Doha. She kicked off her campaign by avenging her Australian Open first-round loss to Caroline Garcia, defeating the Frenchwoman 7-5, 6-4.
Following her win, Naomi Osaka revealed that she had made a tactical adjustment to her return game, adopting a strategy inspired by Novak Djokovic, whom she described as the "best returner."
"I did change my return -- I don't want to say 'style,' but I guess form. I don't know how to describe it. Like, before I was taking one step, one step, and then jumping in, but now I'm kind of just jumping in with both feet, because apparently Djokovic does that, so why not copy the best returner in the world (smiling)?" she said.
The four-time Grand Slam champion's adjustment proved fruitful as she advanced to the third round of the WTA 1000 event with a 6-3, 7-6(9) win over Petra Martic.
Tennis fans were thrilled by Osaka crediting Djokovic for inspiring the change in her return game, with several of them highlighting the Serb's immense impact on the sport.
"But they'll us he has no impact!" one fan commented.
"His impact. His aura," another fan chimed in.
Here are a few more reactions from fans:
"Seeing Jannik Sinner beat Novak Djokovic was really signalling that the young guys are really out here" - Naomi Osaka
En route to winning his maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, Jannik Sinner pulled off a stunning upset in the semifinals, claiming a 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3 win over defending champion Novak Djokovic.
Naomi Osaka recently disclosed that she and her coaching team had followed Sinner's progress in Melbourne, suggesting that his victory over the Serb signaled the rise of a new generation in men's tennis.
"Actually, before the Open started, I was talking to (coach) Wim (Fissette) about Sinner, so I feel like in a way we both kept tabs on him," she said. "Honestly, it was really exciting to watch. Just seeing him beat Djokovic was really signalling that the young guys are really out here," she said.
The former World No. 1 also hailed Sinner for establishing a distinct and "identifiable" presence from a marketing standpoint, particularly through his unique fan club, the Carota Boys.
"From a marketing standpoint, it’s really cool how he’s able to separate himself and kind of, with the carrot and everything. The story is kind of funny to me. I think it’s just really cool how he's made himself very identifiable," she added.
In other news, Naomi Osaka will continue her Qatar Open campaign against Lesia Tsurenko in the third round. If she defeats the Ukrainian, she will take on either Karolina Pliskova or Linda Noskova in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event.
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