Naomi Osaka Jokes About Catching Leylah Fernandez ‘Off Guard’ in Toronto Showdown After ‘Really Bad’ Display

Naomi Osaka has set up a highly anticipated showdown with Leylah Fernandez in the fourth round of the 2026 Canadian Open. Ahead of the blockbuster clash in Toronto, Osaka shared her thoughts on Fernandez, their rivalry, and how their recent practice session could impact their upcoming meeting.

What Naomi Osaka Said About Her Toronto Clash with Leylah Fernandez

After making a dominant start to her campaign with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Panna Udvardy, No. 11 seed Osaka produced another clinical display during her clash with No. 20 seed Elise Mertens in the third round of the WTA 1000 event. She needed just one hour and 11 minutes to seal a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Mertens.

The former world No. 1’s encounter with No. 30 seed Leylah Fernandez in the fourth round will mark their third tour-level encounter. The Canadian secured a 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4 victory over Osaka in their first meeting at the 2021 US Open, while the four-time Grand Slam champion defeated Fernandez 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 at the Wuhan Open last year.

During her post-match press conference, Osaka reflected on her rivalry with Fernandez, expressing surprise that they have only faced each other twice.

“I mean, honestly, I’m shocked we’ve only played twice. I feel like we could have played more, but I think we’ve just practiced a couple of times. Actually, I practiced with her in DC like a week ago,” Osaka said.

When asked whether their recent practice at the Mubadala DC Open would give her an edge, the Japanese star humorously said she hoped to catch Fernandez off guard after playing “really bad” during the session.

“I mean, yes and no. Like, truthfully, I played really bad (laughing). So I hope maybe she thinks that I’ll play that bad, and she will be caught off guard (smiling). I mean, I don’t really think so. Like, I’m the type of person that I don’t really care about practice, really. So I’m not really out there like swinging fully or anything like that,” she said.

“But it was good to play her because, like I said, there’s not that many lefties on tour. So, yeah, I think it depends on who you ask,” she added.

Osaka also showered praise on Fernandez’s attitude, expressing admiration for the Canadian’s impressive fighting spirit and resilience.

“I think it’s tough because she’s lefty. Obviously there aren’t many lefties on tour, so it takes me awhile to get used to that. I think she has a really good attitude. I’ve never seen her down. She always keeps fighting. I really appreciate that about her,” she said. “Yeah, atmosphere? She’s Canadian, so I hope it’s a really good one. I hope that it’s just fun.”

MORE:‘Was A Little Upset’ – Leylah Fernandez Discloses ‘Disappointment’ Over Toronto Schedule for Mirra Andreeva Clash

The winner of the match between Naomi Osaka and Leylah Fernandez will face either No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina or Liudmila Samsonova in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.