Naomi OSAKA set for another incredible WTA Rankings rise after Miami Open run gleams 'best match' so far on return

Naomi Osaka's rise will continue with a bare minimum WTA Rankings increase set when the lists are confirmed post Miami Open after her best match back yet against Elina Svitolina.

Osaka didn't face a single break point in the first set and she produced effortless breaks in games six and eight. She also broke at a pivotal time in the second set in game six before edging the tie-break when it looked like it was going to go the distance.

Tennis fans were left purring at some of the excellence she was producing and she quipped that she wanted to stop getting wildcards to stop facing Caroline Garcia who is next. She is edging through the top 200 in another big ranking rise. She started the year at No.833 and returned to the top 300 after reaching the Quarter-Final of the Qatar Open. She began the Miami Open as World No.229, but will reach at least 191 in the live rankings. She will go even higher if she can defeat the Frenchwoman again.

After setting herself the target of being back towards her best by the French Open or Wimbledon, she is getting there at a rapid pace so far while still leaving some manoeuvre for even more progress.

“I definitely do think it was one of my best matches, if not the best match,” the former world No 1 said. “But I also want myself to play better and better every match.

“I feel like for me going into the match, I knew that she’s a great player, and I had no choice but to play really well if I wanted a chance to win.”

“Man, we’re friends at this point. We’re just, you know, work buddies. We see each other all the time. It’s funny. I just want to be seeded so I can just stop playing her, like,” she joked.

“She [Garcia] is an amazing player. I know this. Every match we play is really difficult. It’s just going to be interesting playing on these courts because I really like these hard courts.”