Osaka hopes for better results after copying Djokovic's style.

Naomi Osaka said she adapted Novak Djokovic's tactical playbook and improved her return game at the Qatar Open after the former women's world number one won consecutive matches for the first time in nearly two years.

The 26-year-old Japanese player struggled to find her rhythm after returning to the court last month after a 15-month absence from the tour to give birth to her first child.

In her first tournament back, Osaka lost in the second round in Brisbane, then fell at the first hurdle at the Australian Open and in Abu Dhabi.

However, after defeating 15th seed Caroline Garcia, who had defeated her at Melbourne Park, in the Doha first round, she showed glimpses of her best form in a 6-3 7-6(9) win over Petra Martic on Tuesday, advancing to the last 16.

She suggested that a technical tweak could have helped.

"I did change my return - I don't want to say 'style' but I guess form. I don't know how to describe it," the four-times Grand Slam champion told reporters.

"Like, before I was taking one step, one step, and then jumping in, but now I'm just jumping in with both feet, because apparently Djokovic does that, so why not copy the best returner in the world?"

Osaka, who last won two straight matches on tour in 2022 at the Miami Open, stated that a conversation with coach Wim Fissette prompted the changes to her game.

"It was frustrating knowing that my serve is one of the best serves, dare I say, in the world," Osaka added.

"But I just really wanted to work on the things I know should be a lot better and the return was one of them. We were talking about it a lot in the off-season and leaving Melbourne, definitely needed to improve it."

Osaka will face Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko later on Wednesday.

SportsLigue