Naomi Osaka revealed that she is dealing with painful blisters that are preventing her from fully bending her fingers.
Osaka, a two-time Australian Open and two-time U.S. Open winner, faced No. 10 seed Paula Badosa in the first round at Roland-Garros. She won the first set, 7-6, but Badosa bounced back 6-1, 6-4 to take the match.
Osaka told reporters that she has been dealing with the blisters since the Italian Open, where she reached the Round of 16 before losing to Peyton Stearns on May 12. She said the blisters were due to “the friction of clay, because I don’t have blisters on any other surface.”
Osaka was treated for hand blisters after the first-set win. She ultimately finished with 54 unforced errors.
The hope is that Osaka’s blisters heal quickly and she’s able to return to her old form.
The former World No. 1 is a sensational player at her best and simply dominant on hard courts. The talent is there, and she now has Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ old coach, by her side. A combination of good health and good coaching could certainly land Osaka deep in the second week of another Grand Slam soon.
AloJapan.com