KEY POINTS

  • Naomi Osaka will face the winner between Ajla Tomljanovic and Anastasia Potapova
  • Potapova has been touted as a potential successor of tennis legend Maria Sharapova
  • Both Osaka and Potapova have had the chance to play with Serena Williams

Naomi Osaka could be waiting for an epic showdown against an interesting opponent in Miami.

The Miami Open main draw is just days away from happening, and top-seeded Ashleigh Barty is set to face a qualifier in the second round. Osaka, on the other hand, is slated to clash with the winner of the contest between Ajla Tomljanovic and Anastasia Potapova.

What’s even more interesting is that Potapova, a Russian tennis prodigy, has been earning comparisons with her compatriot and five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova, earning the title “Sharapova Successor.”

Apart from sharing the same homeland, Potapova and Sharapova also excelled during their junior career.

It can be recalled that “The Siberian Siren” has won the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships at the tender age of 13 and was given a special recognition--the Rising Star Award.

Potapova, meanwhile, has a successful juniors career as well. The 19-year-old was the former No. 1 player in the juniors division and has won the 2016 Wimbledon Championships girls’ title.

Potapova is currently ranked No. 75 in the WTA rankings but has been fortunate to have the chance to put her name on the map in the Miami Open.

Should the youngster managed to score a victory over Australia’s Tomljanovic, she will take on Osaka in the tournament’s second round.

Ahead of their potential match, Osaka and Potapova already have a few things in common as the pair have recently shared the court with 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams.

In February, Potapova clashed with Williams in the Australian Open. However, the former had failed to beat the American, who went on to qualify in the fourth round.

Unlike Potapova, Osaka halted Williams’ chase for her 24th Grand Slam title in the same tournament, cruising to a 6-3, 6-4 victory over the veteran in the semi-final round.

Naomi Osaka beat Serena Williams to make the Australian Open final
Naomi Osaka beat Serena Williams to make the Australian Open final AFP / William WEST

Unfortunately, Williams will miss the Miami Open as the American opted to pull out from the tourney over the weekend due to her recent oral surgery.

Nevertheless, the tournament is still stacked with 19 of the world's Top 20 players competing for the title.

Due to COVID-19, the Miami Open will be played with limited paying patrons in attendance. Moreover, the total prize money was cut down to $6.68 million compared to last year’s $16.7 million.

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