"Iga Swiatek's been No. 1 for like 4 years": Naomi Osaka downplays own reign at the top, marvels over current World No.1
WTA
Naomi Osaka got her first top 20 win as a mother taking down Liudmila Samsonova at Indian Wells 7-5, 6-3 after previously defeating Sara Errani to get to this point.
Osaka though corrected an interviewer slip up as well as marvelling about Iga Swiatek in one during her post match interview. She was asked about the pressures of returning to the sport after previously being World Number One and she joked that Swiatek has been number one for four years while playing down her own reign.
Next up for Osaka who is slowly gathering momentum in her quest back towards the top is Elise Mertens for a spot in the Last 16. While Swiatek on the other hand will have Linda Noskova and revenge on her mind with the World Number One losing to her at the Australian Open. But it shows how much Swiatek is kept in high regard.
"As you’re stepping back, I don’t think we can fully appreciate how difficult it is to be the No. 1 player, to take time away, and then to comeback to play on the biggest stages," said the interviewer to Osaka.
To which she replied: "I wasn’t the number one player – Iga; Iga’s been number one for like four years," she said, laughing.
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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