ASB Classic 2025: Naomi Osaka into first Quarter-Final since June as Patrick Mouratoglou partnership bears fruit

Naomi Osaka is through to her first Quarter-Final since June and could reach her first last four since 2022 at the ASB Classic in what has been a week of finding her rhythm again and could yet gleam a title given who is involved.

Osaka will face either Jodie Burrage or Hailey Baptiste in the last eight who face off tomorrow. This after she had to dig deep to see off Julia Grabher 7-5, 6-3. She also had to battle rain delays as she didn't drop serve throughout and broke her rival twice.

It is the second time she has reached the last eight in Auckland and ironically it is only her second appearance with her 2017 run also gleaming a similar latter stage run. But Osaka also gets her first Quarter-Final with Patrick Mouratoglou. He came on board late last season but Osaka got injured when it looked like she had found something so it is about making up for lost time.

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“I think there are moments where it’s really difficult, where I do get down on myself,” said Osaka as per Stuff.

“But then I think today, I realised I was pregnant not so long ago, and I just really wanted the opportunity to play again and now I’m finally here, and I’m putting up really good fights, and I hope that I can just keep continuing this way.”

“I’m not the most talented player, but I always felt like I work the hardest, and that gives me a lot of confidence,” she added.

“But then it’s trying to go into a fistfight with another person and in the end, it’s who wants it more.

“I think last year, it was really difficult for me to get that mindset, and you could see that in a lot of my matches.

“I think the tennis was there throughout the whole entire year, but it was more of a mindset thing. And I think now here, I think I’m ready for the battles.”

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