After winning a breakthrough WTA title and maiden Grand Slam in 2018, Naomi Osaka is firmly focused on claiming her first tournament victory on Japanese soil, the world No. 7 said Friday.

Following her 6-3, 6-4 win over the Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova in the Toray Pan Pacific Open quarterfinals, the Japanese third seed is two wins away from achieving that personal milestone at Arena Tachikawa Tachihi.

"For me it would mean a lot. I mean, to win this tournament is basically why I am here," said Osaka, who was crowned U.S. Open champion earlier this month.

"(Winning in Japan) definitely is on my mind. I don't think I would have played any other tournament."

Standing in her way in the semifinals will be unseeded Italian Camila Giorgi, a player who Osaka has never faced, but who has pulled off a number of upsets on the WTA circuit.

Among her high-profile victims is Pan Pacific top seed Caroline Wozniacki, whom the 37th-ranked Italian beat in straight sets in the second round here.

"I've never played her before, but I have seen her matches and I know that she is a very difficult player to play against," said Osaka, who claimed her first WTA title at Indian wells in March.

"She's had a lot of upsets, so I know that it's going to be a hard match. But I think I'm looking forward to it."

While the home favorite struggled at times to land her powerful first serve against Strycova, she said she had not lost any confidence in one of her biggest weapons.

"I feel like my serve (will be on target) when I'm in danger. That's how I saved a lot break points at the U.S. Open and I wasn't trying to do anything different (today)," she said.

"What I did wrong today was tossed too far in front. That's why I was serving a lot into the net, but that can be fixed quite easily, so I'm not too worried about that."

The 20-year-old, who was born in Japan but raised in the United States by her Japanese mother and Haitian father, continued to please the crowd Friday by peppering her on-court interview with Japanese phrases.

Asked if she had been feeling under pressure in her match against Strycova, she drew laughs and applause by answering emphatically in Japanese, "Not at all."