Naomi Osaka ‘Grateful’ For Opportunity to Compete in Miami Open Final

Naomi Osaka was in tears of joy after she earned a spot in the Miami Open Final after winning a 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 semifinal match against Belinda Bencic on Thursday.

It was first of many things for Osaka in the victory. It marked the first time she defeated Bencic after three previous tries. She earned a spot in the Miami Open final for the first time in her career, and will be playing in a championship match for the the first time since the 2021 Australian Open. 

After the match, the four-time Grand Slam singles champion tweeted her gratitude for the current moment she is experiencing.

“Man idk what’s going on but I’m just so grateful right now,” Osaka tweeted. “Cheers to the ups and downs of life for making me appreciate this moment even more. We’re back in a final, see you on Saturday.”

The Japanese tennis player entered the tournament after being heckled by a fan at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in her match against Veronika Kudermetova on March 13. Four days after the Indian Wells incident, Osaka tweeted a positive message about her mental health.

“Very proud of myself for reaching a point in my life that despite the lows, I would still rather be myself than anyone else,” Osaka said.

After Thursday, Osaka told reporters that she has received help from a therapist in regard to handling the pressure of the sport and her overall mental health.

“Talking to her really helped me out, she helped me see things from a different perspective,” Osaka said. “I just feel like there are things that can help me out, and I never realized it because I’m the type of person that likes to do things myself and I don’t like to burden people. I’m surprised by how quickly it came together, but I always wanted to do well in Miami. I’ve always thought I had the game style for it.”

On Saturday, Osaka—who entered the Miami Open unseeded and ranked No. 77 in the world—will play in the championship match against No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland. If Osaka wins, she will return to the top 30 after 10 months.