Japan’s Naomi Osaka made a splash at the US Open when she fell one game short of upsetting Madison Keys on Arthur Ashe Stadium. It wasn’t her only successful main-draw debut at a major this year—the 18-year-old also reached the third round at Roland Garros and the Australian Open (where she had to qualify).
“I’m happy with the way I play at Slams 'cause they're very important to me,” Osaka said in New York, “but I kind of wish I could transfer the feeling like to the other tournaments.”
Now ranked a career-high No. 66, the hard-serving teen is aiming to ride her momentum through the season-ending Asian swing. Already, she’s added another milestone to her 2016 season in reaching the semifinals of the WTA Premier in Tokyo. As a wild card entry, Osaka beat compatriot Misaki Doi (who happens to be the only Japanese player ranked ahead of her) and former Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova—by the lopsided score of 6-2, 6-1—and will face Elina Svitolina in the semifinals.