Australian Open 2022: Two-time and defending champion Naomi Osaka focused on first-round opponent, not Ash Barty

Naomi Osaka knows world No.1 Ash Barty is in her path but she’s thinking of only her first-round Australian Open opponent

Japan’s Naomi Osaka is a two-time Australian Open women’s singles champion. Picture: AFP

Don’t talk to me about Ash Barty.

The most-anticipated, would-be women’s blockbuster at this year’s Australian Open is yet to register on defending champion and 13th seed Naomi Osaka’s radar.

The two title favourites will clash in an almost unprecedented fourth-round showdown, if they can negotiate their first three opponents.

They both took four-month tour hiatuses after last year’s US Open – for very different reasons – but Barty remained the WTA Tour’s top-ranked player, while Osaka slid from No.2 in August to her current No.14.

“Please don’t tell me,” Osaka stopped a reporter on Saturday, who was preparing to ask about her projected opponents beyond the first round.

“I’m the type of person that I don’t look at the draw. I look only at the person I’m going to play.

Naomi Osaka is taking it one match at a time at this year’s Australian Open. Picture: Getty Images

“I was literally out somewhere yesterday and someone told me about Barty. Don’t tell me about anything past that – I’m just trying to get past the first round.”

That first-up opponent is young Colombian Camila Osorio, a former junior world No.1 who slashed her women’s ranking more than 130 places last year to be on the verge of the top 50.

Osaka professes to not knowing “anything” about Osorio, but the Japanese star’s form at last week’s Melbourne Summer Set event suggests she will be ready for any obstacle.

The abdominal injury that caused her to withdraw before her Melbourne semi-final with Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova also appears to no longer be a concern.

An Osaka title in the next fortnight would not only be her third at Melbourne Park but also the first time she successfully defended a grand slam championship.

“I’ve been defending champion like three times before that and I’ve clearly never been able to defend it,” she said.

Naomi Osaka has shaken the abdominal injury that caused her to withdraw from last week’s Melbourne Summer Set event. Picture: Getty Images

“But I think there’s, of course, added pressure. You always think about it more often than not. I just want to come into this tournament playing well.

“Bottom line, if I play well, I’ll be able to get far … but, yes, I am a little bit nervous about having that ‘defending champion’ title on me.”

To do so, Osaka will almost certainly have to go through Barty, a player she describes as “the ideal No.1”.

“She’s so consistent. I saw last year all the sacrifices she made to travel without coming back to Australia,” Osaka said.

“I knew that must have been really tough … I think she’s really amazing. She’s always so positive.

“Her and her coach (Craig Tyzzer) are always really nice to everyone that I can see – I like her a lot.”