pwin777 Canadian Open: Naomi Osaka's Confidence Growing After Triumph Over Ons Jabeur
Naomi Osaka thanks the crowd in Toronto after victory over Ons Jabeur. Naomi Osaka thanks the crowd in Toronto after victory over Ons Jabeur. 
Naomi Osaka said her straight-sets victory over Ons Jabeur in the Canadian Open demonstrates her growing confidence. (More Tennis News)
The four-time grand slam champion defeated world number 16 Jabeur 6-3 6-1 in her first-round match in Toronto.
Osaka’s victory follows her early exit in the Olympics where she lost in straight sets to Germany’s Angelique Kerber last month at Roland-Garros.
Away from the clay courts, the Japanese player felt the surface and her opponent brought out the best in her in Canada.
“Everyone knows I really love hard court,” said Osaka. “So I don’t know, I wasn’t really thinking too much.
"It felt very instinctual and honestly when I play the best players like Ons I tend to play better."
Victorious opener @naomiosaka gets past Jabeur in straight sets to reach Round 2 in Toronto.#NBO24 pic.twitter.com/PfezqVQ03A
— wta (@WTA) August 7, 2024The former world number one returned to tennis earlier this year after giving birth to a daughter in July 2023.
Now, Osaka believes she is beginning to build momentum again after her hiatus.
“I think if you’ve been following my journey a little, I go through mountains and hills. But now I’m feeling quite confident in myself as a person and a player and I think that showed a little,” she explained.
“Hopefully I can continue to play a lot more matchespwin777, but I think I just really love playing tennis and it’s been an honour to play such a great match in front of everyone.”