The 2024 season is heating up. With tournaments coming up thick and fast, it gives the players hardly any breathing space. Ask Naomi Osaka, who gave glimpses of her best last week and will be in action again this week. After giving birth to her first child last year, the Japanese tennis star is aiming to put her hands on trophies again. In order to do so, she is in Miami to play in the 2024 Miami Open.

Osaka will open her campaign tomorrow, where she takes on Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the first round of the tournament. Let’s see how the odds stack up for the two.

Naomi Osaka vs Elisabetta Cocciaretto: Preview

Although Osaka has had a tough comeback, it looks like she is slowly getting back to her best. Earlier this year, she suffered back-to-back first-round defeats at the Australian Open and the Abu Dhabi Open. However, she fought her way back with a quarterfinal finish at the Qatar Open. She followed that up by winning a couple of matches at Indian Wells.

Naomi Osaka has struggled to return to her Grand Slam-winning form, but she has made her intentions clear. Osaka wants to prove to her child that nothing is impossible. Earlier this year, she said, “I have big goals. I think it’s better to have big goals. And rather than little goals and achieve all those little goals, but I think for me, I just want to inspire my daughter.”

Unlike Osaka, her opponent for tomorrow, Cocciaretto, is entering the tournament on the back of some strong performances. Recently, she won the title at the LTP Charleston Pro Tennis tournament. Prior to that, she even managed to reach the second round as a qualifier at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships, losing against Coco Gauff. Given Osaka’s reputation and Cocciaretto’s recent form, their match looks nicely poised.

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Osaka vs Cocciaretto: Head-to-Head

At 23, Cocciaretto is still experiencing the early days of her tennis career. Although she turned pro in 2018, she has often played in the second tier of the professional women’s tour since then. As a result, Osaka has never faced Cocciaretto and their first-round match in Miami will be their maiden meeting on the WTA Tour.

Prediction: Osaka to dominate

The Japanese tennis star is slowly finding her lost footing. As a result, it will be difficult for Elisabetta Cocciaretto to stop her. Naomi Osaka is predicted to win the match in straight sets and begin her Miami Open campaign on a positive note. Who are you betting on to win this contest? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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