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Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka is set for a third-round showdown against Daria Kasatkina at the Italian Open on Saturday, May 11. The Japanese made it this far with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Marta Kostyuk in the second round. She previously beat Clara Burel 7-6 (2), 6-1 in her opener.
Osaka's win over Kostyuk was her third over a top-20 player this season. She is inching back to her best with every match and could prove to be a huge threat come hardcourt season.
Osaka has now notched back-to-back victories on clay for the first time since her third-round finish at the 2019 French Open. She will now aim to win three straight matches on the surface for the second time in her career, having done the same at the 2019 Madrid Open.
Where is Naomi Osaka playing?
Osaka is in Rome to participate in the Italian Open, a WTA 1000 tournament. She's a former quarterfinalist at the venue, reaching that stage in 2019. It remains one of her best results at a claycourt tournament thus far.
Who is Naomi Osaka playing against?
Osaka's third-round opponent is World No. 11 Daria Kasatkina, who beat Tatjana Maria 7-5, 6-1 to reach this stage. The Russian has reached three finals this year, including one on clay at the Charleston Open, and also made the fourth round of the Madrid Open.
Osaka and Kasatkina have crossed paths once before when they met in the championship round of the 2018 Indian Wells Open. The Japanese won the match 6-3, 6-2 to claim the biggest title of her career up to that point. She would eclipse it with her triumph at the US Open later that year.
It's unlikely to be that easy for Osaka this time as Kasatkina is an accomplished player on clay. The Russian is a former French Open and Italian Open semifinalist and is able to employ her defensive tactics more effectively on the surface.
Naomi Osaka vs Daria Kasatkina match schedule
The two will take to the court for their third-round contest on Saturday, May 11. The are up second on Grand Stand Arena.
Date: May 11, 2024.
Time: Not before 1:00 p.m. local time, 12:00 p.m. BST, 7:00 a.m. ET, and 4:30 p.m IST.
Naomi Osaka vs Daria Kasatkina streaming details
Fans can tune into the following channels and sites to watch Osaka and Kasatkina battle it out live:
USA - Tennis Channel
UK - Sky Sports
Canada - TSN
Australia - beIN Sports
India - Tennis Channel
For more information regarding the broadcast of matches, click here.
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