So far, the early results are promising for the budding partnership between Osaka and Wiktorowski. Osaka defeated Ariana Arseneault in the first round of the WTA 1000 Montreal yesterday. However, Osaka will face much stiffer competition in the 13-seed Liudmila Samsonova tomorrow. Currently, Osaka is the World No. 49 with a record of 22-11.

Osaka's time with Mouratologou followed an up-and-down sequence of promising signs and frustrations with either injury or close-run defeats.

Osaka has won only one title while collaborating with Mouratoglou – more precisely the Saint-Malo WTA 125 – really too little for a champion of her caliber, who has made the recent history of women's tennis by becoming a point of reference for all her rivals.