WTA star Naomi Osaka recently offered a fun glimpse of her team ahead of the grass court season. After her unexpected withdrawal from the Queen’s Club Championship, the Japanese player is preparing herself for the upcoming challenges with a skilled team led by renowned mentor Patrick Mouratoglou.
The update didn’t just give out the names of the entities backing her but also offered fun details about their daily activities.
Naomi Osaka Shares an Engaging Overview of Her Coaching Team
Osaka recently shared a short video on Instagram in which she provided an overview of the members of her team. The clip started with a basic introduction of Alex Boston, who can be seen walking around the field with a tracksuit on. Adding a description about her, Osaka wrote: “Likes long walks and sweet treats.”
The next slide introduced her hitting partner, Mattias Zukas, whom she refers to as Mati. Sharing a fun description about his personal life, she wrote: “Hitting Partner (he’s single).”
Zukas is a professional tennis player who turned pro almost a decade ago after a successful junior career, where he reached ITF junior world No. 14 and was the top U18 player in South America. Zukas has primarily competed on the ITF Futures circuit, winning eight singles and 20 doubles titles. He achieved career-high ATP rankings of No. 368 in singles and No. 238 in doubles, both in August 2022, and has earned over $130,000 in prize money.
This was followed by an introduction of her current coach, Mouratoglou. Instead of offering personal details about him, she simply wrote: “The coach.”
Osaka began working with Mouratoglou, a renowned coach, in September 2024, following her split with Wim Fissette. Their partnership’s best result so far includes her first WTA 125 clay court title in Saint‑Malo, then reached the third round in Rome.
The next slide showcased her walking alongside GiGi, aka Guillaume Brunoir. Giving a brief introduction about him, she wrote: “Strength and Conditioning.”
After her withdrawal from the Queen’s Club Championship, Osaka’s next tournament is yet to be determined.
Osaka Makes Her Thoughts Clear After First Round Exit at French Open
Osaka was visibly upset after her first-round exit from the French Open. She started strong but struggled physically and mentally as the match progressed. Pain from hand blisters disrupted her focus and rhythm. Despite winning the first set, she couldn’t maintain her level. Errors began to pile up, and she lost in three sets. After the match, Osaka appeared emotionally drained.
“I think as time goes on, I feel like I should be doing better,” Osaka said.
During the press conference, she broke down in tears and expressed deep regret about her performance. She felt she had let down her team and supporters. Her emotions showed how much pressure she was carrying.
“I hate disappointing people. So, like, even with Patrick, I was thinking this just now, but he goes from working with, like, the greatest player ever to, like … this? You know what I mean?”
Osaka admitted she wasn’t meeting her expectations. The loss was more than just a match. Her reaction showed how much she cares about her game. It also showed the emotional toll of competing at the highest level.
AloJapan.com