4-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka takes on world No. 16 Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second round of the 2022 Toray Pan Pacific Open on Thursday.
Naomi Osaka
The Japanese star has not been anywhere close to her best this season. She began on a positive note by reaching the semifinals in Melbourne. In the Australian Open, she was ousted in the third round. She came close to winning a title in Miami as she lost in the Miami Open final.
Osaka came to Tokyo on the back of a four-match losing streak. In the first round, her opponent Daria Saville was forced to retire after playing just one game in the first set.
Beatriz Haddad Maia
The 26-year-old has been having a phenomenal season. She managed to win the first two WTA Tour titles of her career. They came in consecutive tournaments in Nottingham and Birmingham. The Brazilian also reached the semifinals at Eastbourne International. Haddad Maia played scintillating tennis in Montreal and almost won her third title in 2022. However, 2-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep used her experience to win in three sets.
In the Slovenia Open, she made it to the last 8. The Southpaw began her campaign in Tokyo with a comfortable win against Yuki Naito.
Head-to-Head and Prediction
This will be the first meeting between Beatriz Haddad Maia and Naomi Osaka. Therefore, the head-to-head scoreline currently stands at 0-0.
Prediction: Beatriz Haddad Maia to win in three sets.
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