Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka's road to New York will start in two weeks in San Jose: The former world No. 1 has accepted a wild card to the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic. The main draw begins on the campus of San Jose State University on Aug. 1.
Osaka hasn't played since losing to American Amanda Anisimova in Round 1 of Roland Garros in May; in June, she was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon with an Achilles injury. While Osaka last visited the long-standing WTA stop in the Bay Area in 2017, it's a place she knows well: She made her WTA main draw debut at the tournament in 2014 when the event was held at Stanford University.
“We are very excited to have Naomi Osaka returning to the Bay Area,” tournament director Vickie Gunnarsson said. “She made her WTA debut at our event and watching her grow both on and off the court has been amazing. She is not only an incredible player but her commitment to equality and social change is truly inspiring.”
Osaka's entry bolsters an already-stacked player field in San Jose, which includes six of the current Top 10, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, Roland Garros finalist Coco Gauff, and former champion Madison Keys. The tournament's also given a wild card to 2019 US Open winner Bianca Andreescu. The six Top 10 players in the field include former finalist Maria Sakkari, the world No. 3; Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur, the world No. 5; and defending champion Danielle Collins, who's ranked No. 8.
The Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic is first women's tournament of the US Open Series, which began last week for the men at the Infosys Hall of Fame Open in Newport, R.I.
The 2022 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic will be played from Aug. 1-7. For more information, visit the tournament's official website at https://www.mubadalasvc.com/.
