The Japanese, 3rd in the WTA rankings, marked the imagination in 2020 by lifting the trophy in front of empty stands, but above all by taking a stand against police brutality in the United States, in tune with other great professional sportswomen.
Before entering the field for her seven matches, she put on seven masks on which were inscribed the names of seven victims of police violence.
Philando Castile is an African-American who died in 2016 after being arrested by police in Minnesota.
Photo : Getty Images / Al Bello
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Osaka has since won in Australia last February, losing just one set in seven games. The rest of his season was more eventful.
After her withdrawal from Roland-Garros, where she had announced that she would not hold a press briefing, she opened up about her depressive episodes and the social anxiety from which she suffers.
After a break of a few weeks, she had the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron in Japan, but she was unable to win a medal. She lost in the third round to eventual finalist Marketa Vondrousova.
Back to the game in Cincinnati, where she also gave a first press briefing, the Japanese won only one match before being surprised by Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann, finalist of the tournament, in three sets.
It was also Ashleigh Barty who ended Teichmann’s Cinderella journey in the final and in an imperial way. The Australian was not in New York in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But since her return to the circuit, she has established herself as the big boss.
Ashleigh Barty
Photo : Getty Images / Clive Brunskill
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The 25-year-old has won five titles so far this year, including at Wimbledon.
A final between Osaka and Barty would undoubtedly be the delight of fans, but they still have to be not in the same portion of the table. World number two Aryna Sabalenka is guaranteed to be at the bottom of the table, Barty at the top, but it remains to be seen which portion Osaka ends up in.
Osaka and Barty have faced each other four times in their careers with two wins per side, but their last duel dates back to 2019.
There will be many pitfalls to avoid on the way to the title. Since the United States Open in 2020, 17 players have reached the semifinals of a major tournament or even the Olympics.
In fact, only Osaka, Jennifer Brady and Serena Williams have managed to reach the four-a-side in both New York City in 2020 and Australia in 2021.
Williams was hoping to tie Margaret Court with a 24th grand slam title, but she just forfeited with a leg injury.
Serena Williams in tears
Photo : Getty Images / Pool
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The WTA-ranked 22nd American has not played since her quick exit due to a first-round injury at Wimbledon. At 39, the living tennis legend hasn’t won a grand slam tournament in four years.
His last title, at the modest WTA 250 tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, dates back to January 2020.
Andreescu’s return to his promised land
Much water has flowed under the bridges, in New York and elsewhere, since the extraordinary coronation of Bianca Andreescu in 2019 at Flushing Meadows.
The Canadian has never really come close to the level of play that she showed to the tennis world during this magical fortnight.
Bianca Andreescu
Photo : Getty Images / Elsa
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Although she is ranked 7th in the world, she has only played 28 games (17-11) since her consecration almost two years ago. Knee and foot injuries, as well as COVID-19, have shaken his return to the top.
She has only one victory in her last three tournaments. Over the past few months, she has changed her trainer, physical trainer and even agent. She reached the final in Miami in March, but her game is sorely lacking in consistency.
To find her, she will have to go through matches and stay healthy, which she has not been able to do recently.
In Montreal, against Tunisian Ons Jabeur, the 21-year-old Ontarian proved that she still has a well-stocked arsenal of punches, you still have to be able to use it.
On her final warm-up lap in Cincinnati, Andreescu was severely beaten in two innings by world 23rd racquet Karolina Muchova.
Bianca Andreescu
Photo : Getty Images / Minas Panagiotakis
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The good news, if there is any, is that Grand Slam tournaments allow the top ranked players a certain boost with opponents out of the top 32 for at least the first two rounds.
The other good news is that Andreescu is unbeaten at the US Open, but that doesn’t give him any real advantage.
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