WTA star Naomi Osaka is consistently giving signs of a much-awaited comeback at the upcoming US Open. After her breakthrough run at the Canadian Open where she lost in the finals, the four-time Grand Slam champion dropped signs of preparing a comeback at the upcoming major in New York City. Here’s everything you need to know about her chances to participate in the US Open.
Naomi Osaka drops glimpses of her ongoing preparations for the US Open
Osaka and Victoria Mboko both pulled out of the Cincinnati Open after their respective runs to the Canadian Open final. The Canadian withdrew because of a left wrist injury she picked up during her impressive wild card run to her maiden Hologic WTA Tour trophy, while the Japanese opted out due to a change in her playing schedule.
Neither player was seeded in Cincinnati, but their performances in Montreal earned them performance byes into the second round. With their withdrawals, their spots were filled by four lucky losers in the qualifiers.
After her absence from the ongoing event in Cincinnati, Osaka shared glimpses of her on a tennis court. The WTA star shared a picture on her Instagram story, showcasing her boots and racket beside a hard court.
Naomi Osaka had already moved up to No. 34 in the live WTA rankings before her straight-sets win over Elina Svitolina at the Canadian Open. That victory put her into the semi-finals, where she beat Clara Tauson.
With the recent win in Canada, Osaka secured a seeded spot at the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year. The 27-year-old, who won the tournament in 2018 and 2020, will now be one of the top 32 players in the draw.
Osaka Expressed Excitement Over Earning the Major Privilege at the US Open
After Osaka took maternity leave in 2023 and missed a long stretch of tournaments, her ranking dropped drastically to below the Top 600. As a result, the Japanese lost the privilege of being seeded in Grand Slams. However, Osaka’s run to the Canadian Open final saw her ranking rise up to 25th, which means she will be seeded at a Major for the first time since the 2022 Australian Open.
Twenty months into her comeback from maternity leave, Naomi Osaka is back where she wants to be, playing in the finals of a big-time tournament.
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— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 7, 2025
After making it to the final in Montreal, the WTA star expressed excitement over finally regaining a seeded spot at the US Open.
“I’m really happy. I’m also really excited. After Wimbledon [a third-round loss], I was really disappointed, and then I just kind of let go of my expectations. And now we’re here. “I find it kind of ironic, but I’m happy about it,” Osaka said.
The Japanese reached the second round of the US Open in 2024 before losing 3-6, 7-6(5) to eventual semifinalist Karolína Muchová.
