Naomi Osaka reveals coach Tomasz Wiktorowski has helped her a lot in the decision-making department and always makes sure to pinpoint the good thing she does.
When the Japanese hired Serena Williams' former long-time coach Patrick Mouratoglou in late 2024, her primary objective was to rediscover her past form.
Unfortunately for Osaka and Mouratoglou, their collaboration didn't hit the desired target and the former world No. 1 decided to end things with the French Open in July.
Wiktorowski, who famously worked with Iga Swiatek between 2021 and 2024, was on the market and quickly agreed on a deal with Osaka. The result was instant as the 28-year-old reached the Montreal final in their first tournament together – that was her first final on the WTA 1000 category since 2022. A few weeks later, the Japanese also made her first Grand Slam semifinal in four years at the US Open.
To no one's surprise, the four-time Grand Slam champion was thrilled with the work done with Wiktorowski in the second part of 2025 and they agreed to continue with their partnership in 2026.
Osaka: Wiktorowski is more like decision-making for me
“Honestly, with Tomasz, I would say the thing I trained most during this off-season, he's more like decision-making for me. Like awareness on what's happening during the point. He's definitely alerting me to understand that the ball that I hit was good, so go forward type of thing. With him it's more like he trusts my shot-making, but it's the decisions to make in between that time," the current world No. 16 explained in her pre-tournament press conference at the Australian Open.
On Thursday, the Australian Open draw was released. If Osaka manages to reach the Australian Open, she is projected to meet Swiatek – that would be the first meeting between the two since the Japanese added Wiktorowski to her team.
But for now, Osaka will focus on her first-round match against Antonia Ruzic.
