THE up-and-coming developing Japanese talent in Naomi Osaka continues to impress on the world stage, winning back-to-back Grand Slams and has finished top 10 in the past two years.

Rank: #3
Wins: 40
Losses: 11
Titles: 3
Prize Money: $14,417,479

After winning the 2018 US Open, Osaka backed it up with the 2019 Australian Open in January. Her form at the back-end of the year was superb, winning both the Toray Pan Pacific Open in front of a home crowd in Osaka – after coming so close in Tokyo twice over the past four years – and then backing it up with victory in the China Open. Unfortunately injury ended her year in November following a brave three set win over Petra Kvitova. After the Australian Open her form was patchy however, knocked out in the first round of Wimbledon, and only making it to the Round of 32 (Roland Garros) and Round of 16 (US Open).

If Osaka can continue to build on her form she showed at the Australian Open – where she beat four top 12 players on the way to the title – then she will be a force to be reckoned with in 2020. After being ranked 68th at the end of the 2017 year, Osaka’s last two years – particularly since breaking through at Indian Wells – have been nothing short of sensational. Her US Open win was soured by the controversy over Serena Williams accusing the chair umpire of being unfair towards her. It left the then 21-year-old in tears, but she showed her mental resilience to bounce back and take out the most recent Australian Open – which helped her obtain the number one world ranking. With that kind of determination, you can expect it will not be the last time the aggressive baseliner is crowned a Grand Slam champion.