'Please don't': Naomi Osaka shuts down big Ash Barty question

Don't mention Ash Barty - that's the message from Naomi Osaka ahead of what the Japanese star hopes will be a successful Australian Open defence.

The 2021 champion has never successfully defended any of her grand slam titles but says she's ready to handle the pressure on her fourth attempt.

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Osaka's 2019 Melbourne Park triumph was followed by a third-round exit in 2020, while her defences of her 2018 and 2020 US Open titles ended in the fourth and third rounds of 2019 and 2021 respectively.

The latter preceded Osaka's decision to take a break from tennis to focus on her mental health.

Osaka could face Australia's top-ranked player in the fourth round at Melbourne Park after they were both placed in the same quarter of Thursday's draw.

Barty and Osaka wouldn't normally meet before the finals at a grand slam, but because of the latter's hiatus from tennis she has slipped down the rankings.

"I've been defending champion like three times before that and I've clearly never been able to defend it. But I think there's of course added pressure and you always think about it more often than not," the 13th seed said.

"But for me, I just want to come into this tournament playing well. I think the bottom line, if I play well, I'll be able to get far.

"If I happen to lose, then that's something that I can learn on and keep practising and hopefully evolve from that.

"But currently, yes, I am a little bit nervous about having that 'defending champion' title on me, but this is a whole new year and it's technically a whole new tournament."

Osaka was confident she was "feeling good" after a recent abdominal strain but shut down any questions about a potential fourth round collision course with Barty.

"Please don't tell me (about the draw)," she said with a laugh.

"I'm the type of person that I don't look at the draw. I only look at the person I'm going to play.

"I was literally out somewhere yesterday and someone told me about Barty. Don't tell me about anything past that. I'm just trying to get past the first round."

There Osaka will face world No.53 Camila Osorio, whom she admitted she didn't "know anything about", but expected a thorough briefing from coach Wim Fissette.

"It's really exciting to be in times like this. You play new players and you kind of see new faces. I feel like it's kind of, like, refreshing," she said.

"Hopefully I won't be in for a shock but if I am, then I wish I'll be prepared in that moment."

Naomi Osaka and Ash Barty on collision course

First up for Osaka at Melbourne Park is a match against World No.53 Camila Osorio, whom she admitted she didn't "know anything about".

Meanwhile, Barty launches her title bid against Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko Monday as the women's top seed at Melbourne Park for a third successive year.

The 25-year-old's past two attempts at becoming the first home hope to hoist an Open singles trophy since Chris O'Neil in 1978 have ended in shattering semi-final and quarter-final defeats.

Barty says she fully understands how much it would mean to Australia if she could break the 44-year Open hoodoo this month.

"Yeah, I do. I can't do any more than try," she said on Saturday.

"That's all I can do. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.

"I just have to hope that everyone understands that I'm giving it my best crack.

"It doesn't always work out exactly how you want to.

"But you go about it the right way, you do the right things and try and give yourself the best chance - that's all you can do.

Barty says she has "no regrets" at opting out of this week's Sydney Tennis Classic to rest up after a gruelling but triumphant season starter in Adelaide.

The Wimbledon champion added a 14th singles crown to her collection and also teamed with Storm Sanders to win the doubles.

with AAP

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