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Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu play each other for the first time in five years at the Libema Open

It is always a treat when two Grand Slam champions meet in a tournament, and this quarterfinal match between Osaka and Andreescu is no exception

By Wendi Oliveros

Cui Xinyu/GettyImages
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It is time to party like it is 2019, and tennis fans are here for it. In the week after a Grand Slam, there isn't always a must-see match that pushes away all of our fond French Open memories, but the WTA has given us this great gift.

At the WTA 250 Libema Open, Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu will meet in a quarterfinal match on June 14. There are five Grand Slam titles between them, four for Osaka and one for Andreescu. However, many of us believe that more are coming for both provided they stay healthy, a persistent problem for 2019 US Open champion Andreescu who is finding her way back to the court after injuries sustained last summer that kept her out of the 2023 US Open.

Surprisingly, the two players only met one prior time at the outdoor hardcourt 2019 China Open with Osaka winning in three sets 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Both players are beacons of light for women's tennis because they are honest and do not hide their issues from the media or fans. Though motherhood has softened Osaka, she remains a player who when will tell you exactly what is on her mind, good or bad.

Grass is not the usual cup of tea for Naomi Osaka or Bianca Andreescu

Further proof that professional tennis is not scripted is the fact that this match is taking place on grass courts. Neither Osaka nor Andreescu is known for grasscourt play, but both have adopted a similar mindset of being in the moment and embracing whatever opportunity is presented to them.

Roger Federer dazzles at his Dartmouth commencement address. Roger Federer dazzles at his Dartmouth commencement address. dark. Next

Whatever the outcome of this match, we hope it is the beginning of many where we see these two players on the court facing each other. Each has done her part to shine a light on mental health issues and the challenges of being a professional athlete. Both have endured ups and downs especially in Andreescu's case, who has not played for long spans of time before suffering from a serious injury.

Osaka and Andreescu are former Top 5 players who are talented enough to make another run at high rankings and Grand Slam titles.

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