After reaching the final at the Canadian Open only to fall short against Victoria Mboko, Naomi Osaka made a strategic decision that caught the tennis world’s attention. Rather than pushing forward to Cincinnati, the four-time Grand Slam champion chose to withdraw from the upcoming tournament, prioritizing her preparation for the US Open.
This move drew praise from an unexpected source: Rick Macci, Serena Williams’ former coach, who saw wisdom in Osaka’s choice to step back and reset.
What Did Rick Macci Say About Naomi Osaka Skipping Cincinnati Open to Focus on US Open?
Following the Canadian Open final, Osaka was scheduled to compete at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, and her opening match would have been against 20th seed Linda Nosková.
However, the four-time Grand Slam champion cited a change in her schedule and withdrew from the WTA 1000 hard-court tournament in Ohio. This decision sparked commentary from Macci, who took to social media to share his perspective on the withdrawal.
Macci expressed that Osaka’s decision was “smart” because she appeared “mentally spent” following her loss to Mboko. The tennis coach seemingly alluded to the fact that Osaka was visibly upset after the match and even overlooked acknowledging the 18-year-old winner during her speech, a point Macci had previously defended.
Naomi Osaka after losing to Victoria Mboko in Montreal final
“I don’t really wanna take up too much time. I’ll just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers, & volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night.”
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 8, 2025
Macci emphasized the strategic value of Osaka’s withdrawal. He mentioned that skipping Cincinnati would allow her to “reset” her mind in preparation for the 2025 US Open, giving her the best chance to compete for the Grand Slam trophy.
“Osaka and her decision to skip the Ohio event is smart because mentally she is a little spent. Reset for New York as she busted thru a crossroad that was always a broken fork. She held the hardware in past years but it all depends now what is between her ears. @naomiosaka,” Macci posted on X.
Osaka and her decision to skip the Ohio event is smart because mentally she is a little spent. Reset for New York as she busted thru a crossroad that was always a broken fork. She held the hardware in past years but it all depends now what is between her ears. @naomiosaka
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) August 10, 2025
This decision comes after Osaka kickstarted her North American hard-court swing at the 2025 Citi DC Open, where she received a wild card entry into the main draw and was eliminated by Emma Raducanu in the second round.
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At the 2025 Canadian Open, Osaka defeated the likes of Liudmila Samsonova, Jeļena Ostapenko, Elina Svitolina, and Clara Tauson to advance to the final. However, in the championship match, the Japanese star lost to wild card Victoria Mboko 2-6, 6-4, 1-6.
How Did Naomi Osaka Win Her Two US Open Titles?
Osaka’s history at the US Open provides context for why this tournament holds special significance in her career. She captured her first US Open title in 2018, entering as the 20th seed and building momentum throughout the tournament.
She commenced her campaign with a victory over Laura Siegemund, winning 6-3, 6-2 in the first round. Following this, she faced qualifier Julia Glushko and defeated her 6-2, 6-0. The former World No. 1 then triumphed over Aliaksandra Sasnovich before eliminating 26th seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Her path to the final continued with dominance over Lesia Tsurenko in the quarterfinals, winning 6-1, 6-1, before a 6-2, 6-4 win over 14th seed Madison Keys in the semifinals. In the final, Osaka faced off against 17th seed Serena Williams, winning 6-2, 6-4 to claim her first Grand Slam title.
The Pride of !@Naomi_Osaka_ defeats Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 to become the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title!#USOpen pic.twitter.com/sNilrZOaNU
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2018
Two years later, in 2020, Osaka secured her second US Open title as the fourth seed. She began her run by defeating compatriot Misaki Doi, Camila Giorgi, Marta Kostyuk and 14th seed Anett Kontaveit.
Another one.@naomiosaka wins her second #USOpen title, defeating Azarenka, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. pic.twitter.com/wNR3iOSRtF
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 12, 2020
The quarterfinals saw Osaka defeat Shelby Rogers, before the Japanese got past 28th seed Jennifer Brady 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-3 to earn her spot in the final.
In the championship match, Osaka faced Victoria Azarenka, staging a comeback after dropping the first set to win 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, claiming her second New York Major title and third Grand Slam title overall.
