"I didn't know anything about her, I felt very panicked": Naomi Osaka remarks on first time facing Leylah Fernandez after taking Canadian Open home soil spoils

Monday, 10 August 2026 at 15:30

Naomi Osaka was somewhat of an outsider despite being higher ranked due to who she was facing as she took on Leylah Fernandez in the latter stages of the Canadian Open. The former World No.1 reached the final last year where she lost to Victoria Mboko and hopes to go one step further. She is now within three wins of the title in Toronto after Osaka beat Fernandez.

Winning 6-4, 6-4 and despite beating her, Osaka was full of praise for the former US Open finalist for particular reasons as she spoke about how aggressive she is on court and how much she appreciates someone like the Canadian who plays in the way she does.

But also about how she petrified her when she first played her at the US Open previously. Pretty great praise from someone who has achieved as much as she has in the game as Osaka. “I mean, I feel like everyone knows her game style,” said Osaka. “Like, it’s the reason why she is where she is. That and her attitude. I think she’s very amazing in that way.

“But on my end, I would say, like, the first time that I played her in New York, I remember I didn’t know anything about her. I felt very panicked, because I was defending that tournament, but also just because she came in very quickly.

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“So, it’s funny, this time around obviously she was the favorite. And for me, I just felt like, you know, try to be the veteran that you are and try to make balls, and kind of make the match be at my pace.”

Facing Rybakina next

Next up is a certain Elena Rybakina in a blockbuster Quarter-Final clash. Despite both being multiple-time Grand Slam champions, it is actually surprisingly the first time that they have ever played.

When asked about this upcoming match-up, she said that she was excited to play her after facing off in practice before but never on court.

“Yeah, I mean, she’s an amazing player,” Osaka said about Rybakina. I’ve practiced with her twice, in Australia this year, and also Roland Garros.

Elena Rybakina is next up for Osaka.

“And they have been really good practices, so I’m kind of excited for a match. Because, yeah, she has a great serve, she’s aggressive, and it’s also, for me, very fun to play against the best players.”

They play for the first time in the Quarter-Finals on Tuesday August 11 and the winner of the match between Osaka and Rybakina faces another big tie as they will face either Coco Gauff or Belinda Bencic in the semi-finals so either way it is big ties until the end of the tournament for anyone who gets through any of those clashes.

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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