Injury-hit Osaka heads to French Open after ‘rocky’ clay season

TOKYO (Reuters): After pulling out of last week’s Italian Open due to injury, World number one Naomi Osaka admitted she has had a “rocky” claycourt season heading into the French Open.

Osaka, who won the Australian Open in January to follow on from her dramatic victory over Serena Williams at the U.S. Open in 2018, is looking to become just the 11th woman to claim a third consecutive Grand Slam title.

However, following the hand injury that forced her out of a quarter-final clash with Kiki Bertens in Rome and an abdominal injury suffered in Stuttgart last month, Osaka arrives in Paris with concerns over both her form and fitness.

The 21-year-old has proved herself a destructive and powerful hardcourt player with her two Grand Slam wins in the past year, but her record on clay is less impressive.

Osaka has never won a top level WTA event on the surface and has failed to progress past the third round previously at Roland Garros.

“I would describe (my clay season) as rocky,” Osaka said in Rome.

“But I can’t necessarily say it’s been ups and downs because if I think about it, it’s definitely been going up. Every match I’ve played I’ve learned a lot. I’ve tried to take what I’ve learned into the next match and I think I’ve done that well.”

Anyone tempted to doubt Osaka ahead of the French Open, which begins next week, should consider her Grand Slam record.

Osaka saves her best performances for the biggest stage; she has won 76% of all of her Grand Slam matches. Her win ratio at other tournaments is in the 50s.

During a recent interview with the Financial Times, Osaka admitted to feeling the pressure that comes with being world number one.

“I’ve never been number one and a lot of people were talking about it and I think I let it get to my head a little bit,” she said.

“When you’re number one you’re not really supposed to lose. At least, that’s how I feel. Of course, people lose all the time. But I just felt like I should at least win a tournament every month or something.”

Osaka’s compatriot Kei Nishikori looks a far cry from the player who last reached the French Open quarter-finals in 2017.

The 29-year-old is still coming back from a wrist injury suffered in 2017, but did win his first title in three years at the Brisbane International in January.

However, since then the world number seven has struggled, going out before the quarter-final stage at five of his eight tournaments since the Australian Open.

He lost to Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman in the Rome quarters.

Djokovic concedes he has mountain to climb at French Open

World number one Novak Djokovic has enjoyed two good weeks on red clay but admitted that winning a second French Open title would be a tall order after a crushing defeat by Rafael Nadal in last week’s Italian Open final.

Djokovic clinched the Madrid Open without dropping a set and then won a pair of epic battles against Argentines Juan Martin Del Potro and Diego Schwartzman in Rome before succumbing to the imperious Nadal 6-0 4-6 6-1 in Sunday’s final.

That defeat aside, the Serb’s form seems to have peaked in time for the May 26-June 9 tournament. However, the 32-year-old from Belgrade, who has won 15 Grand Slam titles, made it clear Nadal, who is the same age, was the favorite at Roland Garros.

He also named Austrian Dominic Thiem, the 25-year-old world number four, and 11th-ranked Italian Fabio Fognini, who is 31, as strong contenders.

“Nadal (is) the number one favorite without a doubt, and then everyone else,” a serene Djokovic told reporters after he was beaten by the Spaniard at the Foro Italico.

“I think it’s going to be a really good tournament. Dominic Thiem has been playing some good tennis and he can beat anybody, especially on clay.

“Fognini is also playing quality tennis, he showed against Nadal in Monte Carlo what he is capable of,” he added referring to the Italian’s 6-4 6-2 semi-final victory.

“On a given day, best of five (sets), with one day between matches, players will have enough time to really be at their best.

“Everybody is trying to peak for Roland Garros and I am really looking forward to it.”