Daria Saville had quite a funny reaction to being drawn to play the four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the Tokyo first round. Osaka, who will be an absolute fan favorite in Tokyo, will open her campaign against Australia’s Saville.
But when Saville heard that she would be taking on Osaka, she refused to be negative and instead had a funny reaction. Even before the announcer announced that Saville would be Osaka’s opponent, the Australian pointed at her so everyone knew what was coming.
When you’re drawn against the home favorite… 😅
That reaction from @Daria_gav 😝👏#TorayPPO https://t.co/iEmoMiIJHO pic.twitter.com/oNb8qGmB5I — wta (@WTA) September 17, 2022
Saville, Osaka set to meet for the second time
Saville, 28, and 24-year-old Osaka will be going head-to-head for the second time when they meet in Tokyo.
Previously, Saville defeated Osaka when they met in the 2016 Cincinnati qualifying. Both Saville and Osaka are set to return to action after suffering first round losses at the US Open. After losing to Elena Gabriela Ruse in the US Open first round, Saville urged others to stop making Grand Slams as the only tournaments that really matter.
“Why do Slams feel so different to any other tournaments? Grand Slams are chaotic. It’s busy, it is so freaking chaotic in the players areas, and 90% of these people never travel to any other tournament but because it’s a Slam they’ve come to ‘support’ their players.
Friends, family, agents. I don’t know about other players but it makes me feel like I owe them a win. I just want to do my job, I don’t come to your job to “support” you. I like to be focused on the progress, but all that goes out the window during the Slam.
Because every other tournament you ‘prepare’ for the Slam. My thinking becomes so toxic and all I wanna do is win and I feel like everyone around me wants me to win. It’s not true but it feels like no one cares if I get better.
Just win,” Savill wrote on Instagram. It remains to be seen if Saville can upset home favorite Osaka in the Tokyo first round.
