Naomi Osaka’s emotional week at the Canadian Open ended with both triumph and controversy. The former World No. 1’s journey to the finals marked a significant step in her comeback, but a post-match speech that ignored her teenage opponent sparked fierce criticism from tennis fans worldwide. Now, a legendary coach who shaped the Williams sisters’ careers is defending Osaka’s actions, saying the backlash has gone too far.
Why Does Rick Macci Believe Naomi Osaka Deserves Grace After Her Controversial Speech?
Despite making the finals of the just-concluded Canadian Open, the resurgent Osaka had far from an ideal week. Online tennis fans piled on her following a controversial moment after a heartbreaking loss to Canadian teen sensation Victoria Mboko.
In a rushed and brief post-match speech, Osaka made no mention of her opponent, Victoria Mboko’s game, riling up tennis fans across social media platforms.
However, Rick Macci, a veteran coach best known for guiding Venus and Serena Williams during their formative years, has argued that Osaka should be forgiven for her conduct, as her defeat was “fresh out of the oven.”
Taking to X, where he has a sizable following, Macci said that people should “pump the brakes” on their criticism of the former World No. 1.
“Everybody has to pump the brakes on Osaka a female athlete and her speech,” Macci,70, said.
“Has anybody seen an NBA or NFL game after a heated combat?” he asked. “Some athletes give the broiler plate response and say all the right things.”
“Some say whatever because the thoughts and dots are not connected yet as defeat is still fresh out of the oven.”
Everybody has to pump the brakes on Osaka a female athlete and her speech. Has anybody seen an NBA or NFL game after a heated combat? Some athletes give the broiler plate response and say all the right things. Some say whatever because the thoughts and dots are not connected…
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) August 8, 2025
Macci brings unique credibility to this defense. As a seven-time USPTA national coach of the year, he has trained several number-one-ranked players, including Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova, and the Williams sisters. His experience with athletes in high-pressure moments gives weight to his perspective that immediate post-competition reactions shouldn’t be judged too harshly.
How Did Osaka Respond to the Mounting Criticism Over Her Speech?
Amid the ongoing controversy, Osaka took to her Threads account to apologize for the incident.
Naomi Osaka after losing to Victoria Mboko in Montreal final
“I don’t really wanna take up too much time. I’ll just say thank you to everyone. Thank you to my team, the ball kids, organizers, & volunteers. I hope you guys had a good night.”
pic.twitter.com/2FG17imqmK
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 8, 2025
She wrote, “Thank you, Montreal, it’s been an incredible few weeks. I also want to apologize and congratulate Victoria. You played amazingly, and especially, you have a fantastic career ahead! I realized I didn’t congratulate you on the court.”
Osaka explained that she did not wish to deliver a nervous speech like the one she delivered after winning Indian Wells in 2018. She also did not want to deliver a raw emotional outburst like Jennifer Capriati after she lost against Kim Clijsters after being up a set and a break at the 2001 French Open.
She wrote on Threads, “Honestly, I was stunned and completely focused on not giving the same speech as in Indian Wells 2018 or in Jenny/Jennifer’s situation, so I tried to keep it as short as possible.”
What Does This Canadian Open Performance Mean for Osaka’s Comeback Journey?
Beyond the speech controversy, Osaka’s resurgence in Montreal came after a challenging period that saw the Japanese player step away from the sport in 2022 following the US Open due to mental health concerns.
She later announced her pregnancy and returned to competition in 2024, but struggled to recapture the dominance that defined her earlier career. The finals appearance represents her best result since returning to professional tennis.
Following her performance in Canada, Osaka has risen 24 spots to No. 25 in the world rankings. This ranking jump demonstrates that despite the disappointment of losing the final, her week in Montreal achieved its primary goal of moving her back toward the top tier of women’s tennis.
However, she has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, which began on the same day that she competed against Mboko for the Canadian Open title. The quick turnaround between tournaments likely influenced her decision to skip Cincinnati and focus on recovery.
AloJapan.com