Osaka vs Sakkari United Cup Prediction 1/2/2026 Today’s Tennis Picks

Naomi Osaka and Maria Sakkari clash in the women’s singles match in Group E at the 2026 United Cup. The match is scheduled for Friday, January 2, 2026, in Perth, Australia. Here’s our Naomi Osaka vs Maria Sakkari prediction. This preview will also include a Naomi Osaka vs Maria Sakkari pick.

Tournament Details

Tournament name: United Cup
Host cities: Perth, Sydney
Date: 2 – 11 January 2026
Field: 18 countries
Total prize money: $11,806,190

Naomi Osaka vs Maria Sakkari Preview

Naomi Osaka will make her debut at the United Cup and she will give Team Japan a very strong chance of qualifying to the knockout phase of the competition. Osaka opted not to return to Auckland, where she made the final 12 months ago, before retiring through injury while a set to the good against Clara Tauson.

But Osaka clinched her first title as a mother at the WTA 125K in Saint-Malo during the clay season. Overall, Osaka had a good season, climbing to inside the top 16 and finishing the year ranked 16th. She made the finals of the WTA 1000 in Montreal and a a semifinalist at this year’s US Open. Osaka compiled 35 wins and 18 losses and will be chasing her first big title as a mother in 2026. 

Maria Sakkari is a former World No. 3 and will be playing at the United Cup for the fourth year in a row. Sakkari owned a 6-1 record in singles, helping Greece navigate the group stage twice in the tournament’s history. But she had a woeful singles campaign last year, losing to Elena Rybakina and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in straight sets.

Those results set the tone for what would be a difficult season for the Greek WTA star whose ranking slipped to World No. 92. But a quarterfinal run at the WTA 500 event in Washington and a third round finish at the US Open helped Sakkari finish the season on the brink of a top 50 return (ranked 52nd).

Naomi Osaka vs Maria Sakkari Head-To-Head

Osaka and Sakkari have played five times. Osaka leads the head-to-head 3-2, but their last meeting was back at the 2021 Miami Open. 

Naomi Osaka vs Maria Sakkari Prediction

I’m giving Osaka the edge. She is the player who controls first contact. Osaka is an elite attacker and who hits so clean and should neutralize Sakkari’s physical edge. It’s too early to tell if there are signs of a potential career resurgence for Sakkari, who had a poor 2025 season. Back Osaka to give Japan a point in this singles match.

Nur Said's Pick: Naomi Osaka in straight sets