Osaka qualifies for Singapore, will debut at WTA Finals in 2018
ST PETERSBURG, FL, USA - Japan’s Naomi Osaka is the third player to qualify for the 2018 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
After winning her first round match at the China Open in Beijing on Monday, coupled with other results, the US Open champion was officially confirmed to join two other major winners in this year's singles field: French Open champion Simona Halep and Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber.
Osaka has enjoyed a season of firsts in 2018 and it will culminate with her latest one: her WTA Finals debut.
Her season has been highlighted by her maiden Grand Slam title in Flushing Meadows, defeating Serena Williams in the championship match. Earlier this season, she won her career first WTA trophy at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Osaka also went on a 10-match winning streak between the US Open title and reaching her third final of the season at the Toray Pan Pacific Open on home soil in Tokyo.
In addition, the Japanese No.1 reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open, semifinals at the Nature Valley Open in Nottingham and the quarterfinals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
In 2015, Osaka competed and won the WTA Rising Stars Invitational as part of the WTA Finals, introducing fans to the next generation of women's tennis stars at the WTA's biggest event of the year.
In the final, Osaka defeated Caroline Garcia on the same stage as the Top 8 singles and doubles players competed for the WTA Finals trophies.
Osaka becomes the third-ever player from Japan to qualify for the year-end event, and first in 15 years after Ai Sugiyama did so in 2003. Kimiko Date qualified for three editions of the season-ending event, and reached the semifinals on her debut in 1994.
The WTA is now accepting applications for Media Accreditation for the 2018 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global. Applications can be submitted via wtafinals2018.
