What Naomi Osaka has done for the first time since 2021 at the Canadian Open this year

Naomi Osaka has continued her resurgent form after reaching the final of the Canadian Open.

Osaka had been struggling with something this year, but appears to have turned a corner at the Canadian Open.

One of the big changes for Osaka has been splitting with coach Patrick Mouratoglou, with their collaboration officially coming to an end after the Washington Open.

Osaka has been working with Tomasz Wiktorowski in Montreal, which has helped her achieve something that she has not done since winning her last Grand Slam title.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Naomi Osaka has achieved a feat for the first time since winning the 2021 Australian Open

Osaka beat Clara Tauson, 6-2 7-6(7), to reach the final of the Canadian Open for the first time in her career.

The Japanese star has won six consecutive matches to reach the final of the Canadian Open, which has been controversially expanded this year.

Although she has not won the title just yet, Osaka has now done something for the first time since she won her last Grand Slam.

Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion, but has not been in the final of a major tournament since winning the Australian Open in 2021.

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She has been in a WTA 1000 final since then at the Miami Open, but one of her six matches was won by walkover.

As a result, this is the first time in over four years that Osaka has won six consecutive matches at tour-level.

However, it must be noted that earlier this year when Osaka won the Saint-Malo WTA 125 event, which is a lower-level tournament, she did win a total of eight consecutive matches.

Naomi Osaka reveals how she is feeling physically ahead of the Canadian Open final

Although going on this winning streak is hugely positive for Osaka, who will now likely be seeded for the US Open, they do also take a physical toll on players.

Osaka has won all of her matches in straight sets other than the second round, where she had to save a match point against the aforementioned Samsonova.

When asked how she was feeling fitness wise heading into the final, Osaka joked that she felt like a grandma, before explaining that she actually feels better the more she plays.

“Honestly, it’s giving grandma low-key right now, but no,” joked Osaka in her press conference. “I think for me I’m a really fast healer anyway, regardless. That’s always been a really good trait of mine. I’ve also been the type that feels better the more matches I play.

“I don’t know, I feel pretty good. So hopefully that’s good enough to play against a teenager, because I know she’ll be feeling great, so..”

Osaka will now play Canadian teenage sensation Victoria Mboko in a first-time meeting between the two players.

The Canadian Open final in Montreal will take place on Thursday, August 7, at 6pm local time, as Osaka looks to win her first WTA 1000 title since the China Open in 2019.

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