It’s time for the clash of the 2018 US Open champion versus the 2019 US Open winner! Naomi Osaka takes on Canada’s Bianca Andreescu in the QF of the 2024 Libema Open on Friday (June 14). This is Naomi Osaka’s second QF of the season and the first on grass courts since 2018. Both the tennis stars have been out of action for quite a while, and this will, in fact, be Bianca Andreescu’s second tournament this year. Who will win this battle on the grass?

The 23-year-old Canadian tennis star entered this tournament after her third-round loss to the 2024 French Open finalist, Jasmine Paolini. On the other hand, the Japanese superstar was defeated in a nail-biting clash in the second round of the same tournament by the eventual champion, Iga Swiatek. Both the players have already faced quite a tough challenge this year. Now, it will be interesting to see who gets the upper hand in this enticing contest.

Naomi Osaka vs Bianca Andreescu: Preview

Naomi Osaka’s best record before this tournament has been reaching the QF at the Qatar Open. She has struggled a bit after that but has looked in superb touch at the Roland Garros. In the Rosmalen Grass Court championships, she has got off to a stellar start and has yet to lose a set. Osaka defeated Suzan Lamens 6-2, 6-2 in their round of 16 clash. She hammered nine aces and committed just one double fault. Her first-serve win percentage was 88%, and her second-serve win percentage was 69%. She converted four of her five breakpoints against the Dutch.

Osaka is desperate to play as many matches as she can before Wimbledon. If we look at her record this season, the Japanese tennis star has hit 158 aces and committed 63 double faults. She has won 78.8% of her service games and 27.8% of her return games this season. Can she keep her winning run going on the Dutch grass?

Bianca Andreescu perhaps might have the best answer to this question! Andreescu hasn’t played much this season, so there aren’t any noteworthy results for her as of now. However, if we look at her numbers from her previous match, she defeated China’s Yue Yuan by 6-4, 6-1 in the R16 clash. Bianca Andreescu hit just three aces and committed one double fault in the entire match. She won 65% of her first serve and 83% of her second serve against the Chinese. Andreescu converted three of her six breakpoints in that match.

If we consider the number from her previous match, then the total number of aces for her this season would be seven, and she has hit an equal number of double faults so far. However, the Canadian has won 67.6% of her service games and 31.4% of her return games. Who between these two had the last laugh in their previous encounter?

Osaka vs Andreescu: Head-to-Head

This will be their second meeting on the Tour. Previously, they had played against each other at the QF of the 2019 China Open. In that match, Naomi Osaka outclassed the Canadian by 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. She hit ten aces and committed five double faults, while Bianca Andreescu hit just one ace and committed four double faults. The Canadian tennis star won 67% of her first serve and just 46% of her second serve in that match. Osaka won 78% of her first serve and 34% of her second serve. She converted six of her nine breakpoints, while Andreescu converted five of her eleven breakpoints. To win the match against the Japanese, Bianca Andreescu needs to convert at least half of her chances into winners!

Prediction: Osaka to win this match in three sets

Naomi Osaka has a lot at stake at the moment! A win against Bianca Andreescu will put her into the SF of a tournament for the very first time this year. She is currently ranked 125th in the world, and a victory will also push her to the top 100 in the women’s singles ranking. Currently, Osaka has a win-loss record of 15-10 compared to just 4-1 of Andreescu. However, the Canadian tennis star reached the R16 of this tournament in 2023, while this is Osaka’s first appearance in this tournament. But is this enough to put the Canadian ahead of the Japanese in this enticing contest?

No, Naomi Osaka has looked like a completely different player ever since her match against Swiatek. Her aggressive baseline shots, accompanied by her powerful forehands and serves, can put the Canadian into trouble. Osaka has a unique ability to win long rallies; therefore, Andreescu needs to end points quickly. Bibi, on the other hand, has a wide range of shots to put Osaka into trouble, and she can disguise her opponents easily with her incredible drop shots. However, this time, Naomi Osaka looks to be the favorite to win the contest yet again.