WATCH: Naomi Osaka stops her best friend from escaping the spotlight as she leads the crowd in singing ‘happy birthday’ at Canadian Open

Tennis star Naomi Osaka was not going to let her best friend Alex Boston escape the spotlight on her special day. After winning her quarterfinal clash at the Canadian Open, Osaka revealed to the crowd that it was her friend’s birthday, but she was trying to hide.

As Osaka took the mic, she interrupted her post-match conference when she spotted Boston getting away from the court. She immediately used the moment to mention Boston as “best friend,” before singing “happy birthday.” When the reporter asked who her best friend was, she pointed to Boston and said:

“This beautiful girl right here (laughing). She’s like my best friend and agent.”

On Tuesday, August 5, Osaka shared the clip of the entire moment on Instagram. She added a heartfelt caption along with it that read:

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"Happy bday to the one and only AB."

Alex Boston is the talent manager at Evolve Agency, Osaka’s athlete-led sports and lifestyle firm. She works closely with Osaka and the Duguid family to nurture strategic partnerships and manages athlete signings and brand collaborations.

Naomi Osaka enters the semifinals of the Canadian Open

Naomi Osaka hasn't had a good year, but things seem to be falling in place at the ongoing Canadian Open. After a first-round exit at Roland Garros and a third-round defeat at Wimbledon, Osaka seems to be getting back on track for the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open.

On Tuesday, Osaka advanced to the semifinals of the Canadian Open after defeating 10th-seed Elina Svitolina, 6-2, 6-2. This will mark Osaka’s first appearance in a WTA 1000-level semifinal since Miami in 2022.

"I'm really happy," Osaka said after winning the quarterfinals. "I'm also really excited. I don't know. It's kind of interesting, because I told people this before, but like, obviously after Wimbledon, I was really disappointed. Then I just kind of let go of my expectations, and now we're here. So I find it kind of ironic, but I'm happy about it."

Naomi Osaka will face 16th-seed Clara Tauson in the semifinals. The Dane defeated Madison Keys 6-1, 6-4, in the quarterfinals. This was Tauson's second consecutive win over a top-10 opponent after eliminating Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek earlier in the tournament.

When Osaka was asked to remember her first match against Tauson, she replied:

"Honestly, I remember feeling like she was a little unconventional. I don't remember why exactly I felt that way, but I think she had a really interesting game. I did watch her play Keys a little bit, but I was, like, warming up and stuff. I'll be curious to see what happens."

It remains to be seen if Naomi Osaka can win the Canadian Open and head to Cincinnati with loads of confidence. She will be eyeing her fifth major title at the US Open.

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Krutik Jain

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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