Osaka aims to use her Grand Slam quarterfinal achievement as a stepping stone, coach Raiba says: "This year aiming for sixth, next year for first."

After reaching the quarterfinals of the Montreal 1000 tournament, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka did not hide her ambitions in the post-match interview. She stated clearly that breaking into the top ten and winning Grand Slam titles remain her key goals; her ambition has never been just about winning a few matches since her comeback.

In just 49 minutes, Osaka overwhelmed Sevastova, showcasing a powerful performance that allowed her opponent to win only one game, thus easily advancing to the women's singles quarterfinals in Montreal. This marks her return to the quarterfinal stage of this event after six years, representing a crucial step in her journey since giving birth.

After the match, the Japanese star discussed her future goals, saying, "I want to win a Grand Slam, I want to break into the top ten—ambition needs to start with achieving smaller goals, and the quarterfinals in Montreal are my stepping stone."

After taking a break from tennis in 2023 due to maternity leave, Naomi Osaka's form has been inconsistent since her return in 2024, and she even had to end her season early due to injury at the end of the year. Last October, she reluctantly announced, "The season is over; my goal for next year is to return to the top 30." In the 2025 season, her form improved, reaching the finals in Auckland early in the year, but she had to withdraw from the final due to injury, watching her opponent Townsend lift the championship trophy. Her performance fluctuated afterward until she clinched a title at a 125k event during the clay season. However, her good fortune was short-lived as she exited early in the French Open and grass season, prompting Osaka to feel the pressure again, ultimately deciding to part ways with Moratoglou in search of new inspiration and breakthroughs.

In Montreal, she experienced a pivotal change—collaborating with renowned coach Viktorovskyi. The Polish coach, who previously guided Swiatek to multiple Grand Slam titles, injected fresh tactical ideas into Osaka's game right from the start.

"He helped me redefine control," Osaka revealed in an interview. "Not every shot needs to be a winner; instead, it's about setting traps with placement." This change quickly reflected in her performance: against Sevastova, her second serve success rate soared to 67%, significantly higher than her season average of 54%.

Behind her tumultuous comeback, the Japanese star has always hoped to return to her peak, but she also recognizes that her ambitions require steps rather than leaps. "My father always says that staying healthy and happy is success," Osaka said softly when talking about her family, "but I crave more—Grand Slams and the top ten must be achieved step by step."

Montreal has become a testing ground for her collaboration with the new coach. With the semifinals approaching, her gaze is already set on the bigger picture: "The US Open is my lucky place; the audience there understands me the most." Seven years ago, she began her first Grand Slam legend at Flushing Meadows.

Tennis legend Evert made a sharp comment on ESPN: "When Viktorovskyi chose Osaka, it showed he saw the overlooked potential. However, what’s more remarkable is that he helped Osaka regain her long-lost confidence; last year she was still quite down and struggled to find direction."

Now let's turn our attention to another piece of tennis news: Rybakina's coach Sanguinetti recently revealed the team's ambitions in an interview, stating they plan to return to world sixth this year and aim for world number one next year!

The Italian coach, known as the "ferry man," took over Rybakina's training this year when she had fallen out of the Top 10. However, after the Montreal tournament, the Kazakh star achieved consecutive victories over strong opponents to reach the women's singles semifinals, restoring her ranking to the top ten, with the semifinals set against local 18-year-old rising star Mboko.

Rybakina's current coach told the media, "Right now, I feel a bit like a ferry man. I joined her team in February when there was no work to do. She explained her work to me, and I hope to work with her for two years because I have my own methods: in the first year, I hope to maintain the status quo, possibly finishing the year ranked sixth, and next year I hope to take her to world number one: because she has limitless potential."

In fact, looking at the data, Rybakina has achieved a 79% stability rate in her service games this season and a 63% win rate in baseline rallies, both top-tier statistics. In the Montreal tournament, Rybakina surpassed 300 aces this season, becoming the most consistently performing player in recent seasons in this regard, which indeed reflects her potential and strength.

However, for Rybakina, the goal of reaching world number one requires overcoming two major obstacles: Swiatek and Sabalenka. Yet, a healthy Rybakina can compete with both. Nevertheless, this season, Rybakina has been trapped in a cycle of personal life issues and poor physical condition, raising many questions among fans about her ambitions. Does she have a chance to reach the top? Let’s wait and see!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)