By Richard Pagliaro | Tennis Now | Saturday April 2, 2022
Miami—Naomi Osaka is a student of the sport who once dissuaded Iga Swiatek from pursuing higher education.
After the second-seeded Swiatek streaked through seven straight games crushing Osaka 6-4, 6-0 in today's Miami Open final, the four-time major champion recalled breaking bread with a teenage Swiatek and encouraging her to continue competing on the pro tour rather than go to college.
More: Streaking Swiatek Sweeps Osaka
"A couple years ago, I had a dinner with her in Australia, and she was telling me like she might go to college. I was telling her, Don't do that," Osaka told the media in Miami. "It's been really cool to watch her grow. For me, I think the most impressive thing is like being able to string together these two wins in a row.
"Not even back-to-back-to-back wins but going from Indian Wells and like even getting to the quarters of this tournament to me would be impressive, because I personally know, like, how tiring it was. I had to play Serena right after I won Indian Wells, and then I was completely dead after that. But she's like, it seems she keeps going. So that's really amazing to see. I think that she's like really amazing for the sport."
The 77th-ranked Osaka is impressed by Swiatek's ongoing evolution that has seen the Polish player post a career-best 17 match winning streak and make history as the first woman to win the first three WTA 1000 events of the year in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami.
Osaka calls Swiatek "quite different from all the players I've played previously."
So what makes the 20-year-old Swiatek so special?
Osaka cites Swiatek's explosiveness, athleticism, intelligence and her skill imposing the first strike after her serve as key qualities that set the Pole apart.
"She's clearly a very smart person, and I honestly don't think my words had any effect on her decision at all," Osaka said. "And then as why she's different from everyone else, I would just say she's like very explosive.
"Like I don't think her serve is the fastest, but like, say, she hits a serve and then I hit a return, it's not the greatest. She will be immediately there. So I think the reaction time of her is really good."
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