France’s Gael Monfils and Japan’s Naomi Osaka during their round of 16 mixed doubles match against Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti and Caty McNally of the US at Flushing Meadows in New York on August 19, 2025. — Reuters
Naomi Osaka opened up about teaming up with Gael Monfils at the US Open mixed doubles tournament.
Osaka and Monfils kicked off their mixed doubles campaign against Lorenzo Musetti and Caty McNally; however, they did not advance to the next round as they suffered a 5-3, 4-2 defeat.
Following the upset, when Osaka was asked about a partnership with Monfils at the US Open mixed doubles, she said they connected by talking about their kids, as they both are parents.
“Yeah, that’s my GOAT right there. He’s super kind. He’s exactly how I would think of when I see him just constantly telling me, like, Good point, or to keep going. Super adorable,” Naomi Osaka said.
“We were talking about our kids. I was joking that we’re Team Parents because we both have daughters. He was saying they should go on a play date, which I think was super cute.”
Osaka further praised the French player, saying he does not know how important a figure he is to tennis players.
The Japanese tennis player said she used to watch his matches when she was 10, 12, and 13.
“It’s kind of interesting. I don’t think he knows how important of a figure he is to tennis players like me, because back when the Miami Open was the Sony Ericsson, I would literally go, like when I was 10, 12, 13, to watch him and Tsonga,” Osaka added.
“I vividly remember sitting there in the heat just waiting for his specific match to come on. So to play with him was really cool.”
AloJapan.com